IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALS AND THEIR ALLOYS BY SUBJECTING THEM TO THE ACTION OF LIQUIDS, GASES, VAPOURS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wade Hampton Smith, of Edgbaston, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALS AND THEIR ALLOYS BY SUBJECTING
THEM TO THE ACTION OF LIQUIDS, GASES, VAPOURS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING
PURPOSES.
""
Sealed the 16th October 1874, and dated the 15th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wade Hampton
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th August 1874.
I, WADE HAMPTON SMITH, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING METALS AND THEIR ALLOYS BY
SUBJECTING THEM TO THE ACTION OF LIQUIDS, GASES, VAPOURS, AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND
HEATING PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
T
L
whin imunaramante in the twantmant and

page_text: the mannfacture of gas for illuminating and heating purposes, and
consists in certain means of introducing liquids, gases, and vapors, into
iron, steel, copper, lead, tin, zinc, and their alloys, such being in a fluid
or molten state, or otherwise, and being contained in cupolas and other
furnaces, converters, or other suitable vessels, and also for charging
atmospheric air with gases or vapor for illuminating and heating
purposes.
The liquid matters I use are wood naptha, hydrocarbon, hydrochloric
acid, nitrous acid, nitric acid, and iodine in a fluid state. The gases
and vapors I use are the gases and vapors resulting from any or all of
the above liquid matters, carburetted hydrogen, or coal gas, nitrogen
gas, and atmospheric air, in such proportions as may be required, com-
bined or uncombined.
In carrying out my improvements I place each of the before-named
fluids in separate vessels or chambers. The contents of these respective
chambers are capable of being conducted and are conducted together or
separately into a passage, through which a current of atmospheric air,
gas, or vapor is caused to flow, so that the atmospheric air, gas, or vapor
alone or combined with any or all of these liquids, gases, or vapors may
be conducted in any required proportions to the cupolas, furnace, con-
verter, or other suitable vessel containing the metal or metals to be acted
upon, or to a receiver or gasometer for future use, or when required for
illuminating and heating purposes.
The principle I adopt and apparatus I use for effecting the above
are the same or similar to that well known for making ether sprays or
other air spray jets.
The gases or vapors as described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to myself and J. T. Kirkwood, dated Eighteenth day of
February 1874, may be used and applied to operate in like manner on
the metals above mentioned and their alloys.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Wade Hampton Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WADE
HAMPTON SMITH, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Wade Hampton Smith, Her special licence that I;
the said Wade Hampton Smith, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Wade Hampton Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no 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 TREATING METALS AND THEIR ALLOYS BY SUBJECTING THEM TO THE ACTION OF
LIQUIDS, GASES, VAPORS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS FOR ILLUMINATING AND HEATING PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Wade Hampton Smith,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 I, the said Wade Hampton Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 to improve the process of manufacture
of various metals and alloys, and to manufacture gas for illuminating
and heating purposes by improvements in treating said metals and alloys

page_text: by subjecting them to the action of liquids, gases, and vapors, including
the apparatus therein employed, and the manufacture of gas as aforesaid.
This object is attained by the Invention herein-after described, the
nature and character whereof consists in certain means of introducing
liquids, gases, and vapors, into iron, steel, copper, lead, tin, zinc, and
their alloys, such being in a fluid or molten state or otherwise, and
being contained in cupolas and other furnaces, converters or other
suitable vessels, and also for charging atmospheric air with gases or
vapors for illuminating and heating purposes.
The liquid matters I use are wood naptha, hydrocarbons, hydrochloric
acid, nitrous acid, nitric acid, and iodine in a fluid state. The gases
and vapors I use are the gases and vapors resulting from any or all of
the above liquid matters, carburetted hydrogen, or coal gas, nitrogen
gas, and atmospheric air, in such proportions as may be required, com-
bined or uncombined.
In carrying out my improvements I place each of the before-named
fluids in separate vessels or chambers. The contents of these respective
chambers are capable of being conducted and are conducted together
or separately into a passage, through which a current of atmospheric air,
gas, or vapor is caused to flow, so that the atmospheric air, gas, or vapor
alone or combined with any or all of these liquids, gases, or vapors may
be conducted in any required proportions to the cupolas, furnace, or
converters, or other suitable vessel containing the metal or metals to be
treated, or to a receiver or gasometer for furture use, or when required for
illuminating and heating purposes.
The principle I adopt and the apparatus I use for effecting the above
are the same or similar to that well known for making ether spray jets
or other air spray jets.
The gases or vapors as described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to myself and J. T. Kirkwood, dated the Eighteenth day
of February 1874, may be used and applied to operate in like manner on
the metals above mentioned and their alloys.
As an example of the "modus operandi" of my said Invention or the
manner of performing the same, I have to state that I use the spray as
follows I convey the liquid contained in the chamber or chambers by
a pipe, to which is attached the jet into the pipe through which the
current of air or gas is made to flow, thereby causing a perfect satura-

page_text: tion of the air or gas with the liquid used. And when for example I
treat iron I use in one vessel or chamber hydrochloric acid and convey
that liquid in manner stated into the blast air or gas pipe, as above; and
in another vessel or chamber I place hydrocarbon liquid or wood naptha
and use the same mode of conducting that liquid into the same current
of blast air or gas as before; but I use in operation this jet of hydro-
carbon to follow the spray made by the hydrochloric acid, so that the
vapors may mix together before they are made to act on the metal.
And I so arrange by cocks or valves that an equal quantity of the
separate liquids should be used, and this proportion I have ascertained
to be effective, although I do not confine myself to this or any other
proportion or way of using the spray.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed or put
in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the said Invention of "Im-
provements in Treating Metals and their Alloys by Subjecting them to
the Action of Liquids, Gases, Vapors, and in Apparatus employed
therein, and for the Manufacture of Gas for Illuminating and Heating
Purposes," wherein the use of the ether or air spray jet for making,
using, and mixing any or all of the liquids, gases, or vapors, herein-before
named, and in introducing them and using them in manner and for the
purpose above mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wade Hampton Smith, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
fixo
WADE HAMPTON SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM BLACKWELL,
99, Icknield Street, West.