MANU- FACTURE OF IRON-STONEWARE
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Mar., 1887.
10
WILLIAM HENRY BLESSLEY Architect One Exchange Place Middlesbrough North
Riding of Yorkshire do hereby declare the nature of my invention for THE MANU-
FACTURE OF IRON-STONEWARE to be as follows:-
I crush and grind to a powder ironstone or ore. I then mix clay or marl with it
and thoroughly incorporate the materials together. The mixed material either in a
dry or more or less plastic condition is then manipulated and burnt in a similar
manner to that employed in making stoneware or earthenware articles. The propor-
tion of the clay to be mixed with the ironstone or ore is regulated by the kind of clay
and iron stone or ore used as well as the purpose for which the ware is required to
be used and the colour desired to be obtained. In the event of the ironstone ore or
clay not containing sufficient lime or other flux to cause the mixture to partially fuse
at a strong heat lime or other flux may be added thereto so as to cause the con-
stituents to combine and form a more or less vitrified substance whereby greater
strength and solidity are obtained.
WM. HY. BLESSLEY.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Stoneware.
I WILLIAM HENRY BLESSLEY Architect One Exchange Place Middlesbrough North
Riding of Yorkshire 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 :--
I grind iron ore and reduce it to a fine powder, the finer the better, and
thoroughly mix it with clay or shale, which I prefer to use in a dry powdered state,
but which may also be used in a plastic or semi-plastic condition; or the ore and the
clay or shale may be ground together in a grinding or crushing mill and further
mixed in a pug mill or otherwise. The material so prepared is then moulded or
pressed into bricks, tiles, or other useful or ornamental articles, dried, and burnt in a
kiln or oven. The heat to which it is exposed must be sufficiently intense to change
the condition of the iron ore from that of mechanical combination with the constituents
of the clay or shale to a chemical combination, forming thereby a silicate of iron and
alumina. Any kind of iron ore may be used, but 1 prefer to use the richer and purer
ores in comparatively small quantity rather than the poorer and inferior ores in a
larger quantity. I find red hæmatite is a good ore to use for this purpose. Magnetic
iron ore (which for this purpose may contain a large proportion of silica and which
therefore is of little value for iron smelting) may also be used with advantage, the
additional silica being rather beneficial than otherwise. Manganiferous iron ore may
also be used advantageously when any dark colour is desired in the burnt article ;
the manganese in the ore causing it to burn of a darker colour than the iron and other
ingredients of the mixture would do otherwise. Or manganese may be added to iron
ore destitute of it for producing the same result. I find 20% to 25% of iron ore mixed
or shales by
with clay or shale produces a satisfactory result. If, however, the clays
themselves would burn of a light colour and a dark brown, purple, blue, or black
colour is required a larger proportion of the iron ore may be required. On the
..contrary clays or shales themselves containing a considerable quantity of the oxides of
iron would require a smaller quantity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. That by the mixture of iron ore with clay or shale I produce goods stronger,
tougher and more durable than can be obtained from the natural clay or shale.
2. That such stronger, tougher and more durable goods may be made from inferior
clays and shales which would otherwise be unfit for the purpose.
3. That clays or shales which would otherwise burn of a mottled, uneven, or
undesirable colour may by this process be made to burn of an even and good colour;
red, brown, purple, blue, or black in various shades being obtained from the same
clays or shales.
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