IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND REDUCTION OF TITANIFEROUS IRON ORES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Martin, William Barrett,
and Thomas Stammers Webb at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 9th December 1867.
We, CHARLES MARTIN, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, WILLIAM BARRETT, of Norton, in the County of Durham,
Ironmaster, and THOMAS STAMMERS WEBB, of the same Place, Metallurgical
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND REDUCTION OF TITANIFEROUS IRON ORES, AND IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention mainly relates to certain improvements in the treatment of
ilmenite, iserine, and other titaniferous iron ores, whereby the same can be
more efficiently reduced than by the processes previously adopted, and also to
the construction of furnances for such purposes.
The blast furnace or cupola which is employed for the reduction of the ore
should be charged in the ordinary manner and in the following order
approximate portions:-
and
Coke -
Aluminous substances
Lime
-
+45
.8
.Ore
- 1°
The ore should be broken in pieces not exceeding two inches square.
Aluminous substances which, when dry, contain thirty-five per cent. of

page_text: alumina are preferred, and as economical fluxes aluminous ores, such as those
from the North of Ireland, bauxite, and others of a similar character, and
likewise aluminous shales, furnace cinder, or slag which contains the necessary
proportion of alumina and lime may be employed. When such ores or slags
or aluminous shales or substances are deficient in either alumina or lime the
requisite quantity may be added thereto. When the furnace cinder or slag
contains any substance or substances deliterous to the reduction of the ore the
complete or partial purification thereof may be effected by taking the slag by
preference in a molten state as it runs from the blast furnace and mixing
it with such substance or substances, either in a solid state or in solution, as
will be capable of decomposing the sulphur compound or compounds contained
in the slag and expelling the sulphur or sulphureted hydrogen or other
gaseous sulphur compound, or of converting the sulphur or sulphur compounds
in the slag by oxidation or otherwise into more soluble bodies. For these
purposes water, hydrochloric acid, and solution of chlorine may be used, and
also substances containing chlorine, such as chlorides and bypochlorides, either
solid or in salution, caustic potash and soda, carbonates of potash and soda,
nitrate of potash and ammonia, and also the waste liquor from stills, in which
chlorine is prepared for the manufacture of bleaching powder. The cinder
or slag which results from the smelting the titaniferous ores is preserved for
mixing with ordinary ores in smelting operations or in remelting ordinary pig
iron, to which it partially imparts the peculiarities and excellence of quality
possessed by the metal obtained from the titaniferous ores.
In the manufacture of steel, steely iron, or malleable iron from the metal
obtained from titaniferous ores, the latter is either run direct from the blast,
or air furnace, or cupola, or is remelted and passed into a vessel containing
oxide of iron, by preference in a finely powdered state, the action of the
oxygen contained therein being to combine with and remove the sulphur and
the excess of carbon from the metal; it is then poured into ingot moulds of
the size and form into which it is most suitable to allow it to be subsequently
rolled or forged. It is preferred that the moulds should be loam washed and
heated to 500° or 600°, and when filled placed in a suitable stove or muffle
in order to allow the metal to cool gradually. The quality of the metal may
be varied by mixing with it, when it is being remelted, or when run direct
from the furnace, ordinary pig iron, which is contained in a furnace placed
in a convenient position, and then submitting such mixture to the operation
before described, which operation is also applicable to metal obtained from
other ores.
The improvements in the construction of blast furnaces or cupolas

page_text: proportions :-
CONSIST
in constructing then
the ionowing
-
1.
Diametor of the hearth
Depth of the hearth
Diametor at the boches
Height of furnace
Angle of boches, 70°.
1.25
- 2.5
10°