IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING CAST IRON CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC IMPURITIES INTO STEEL OR METAL HAVING THE PROPERTIES OF STEEL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and Company,
Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING CAST
IRON CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC IMPURITIES INTO STEEL OR METAL HAVING THE
PROPERTIES OF STEEL." A communication from abroad by the Foundries and
Forges Company of Terre Noire La Voulte and Bessegès, in the French
Republic.
Sealed the 11th July 1876, and dated the 14th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th January 1876.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING CAST IRON CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC IMPURITIES
INTO STEEL OR METAL HAVING THE PROPERTIES OF STEEL." A communication from
abroad by the Foundries and Forges Company of Terre Noire La Voulte and Bessèges,
in the French Republic.
In former Letters Patent Numbered 220, A.D. 1874, and 120, A.D. 1875, the
claims are as follows:-
First. The manufacture of steel by Bessemer's process, starting with cast irons
more or less mixed with cinder iron and scrap iron, the cast iron, cinder iron, and
scrap iron being of any origin or quality whatsoever, provided that the aggregate.
does not contain more than four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and that.
it has been shown the method of manufacture, that is to say, by using to finish the
operation alloys rich in iron and manganese, or iron and silicium.
Second. The manufacture of steel by Siemens & Martin's process, using cast iron
and scrap iron of any origin and quality whatsoever, provided that the mixture
contains not more than four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and it has also
been shown that this operation can only give working results by using as a final
But it may
addition alloys rich in iron and manganese, or iron and silicium.
happen that cast iron suitable for the manufacture of Bessemer steel, that is to say,
containing the proportions of carbon, silicium, and manganese most conducive to the
success of the operation should be too costly or too difficult of production, whilst
cast irons can be cheaply obtained, which from their composition could not
[Price Ad 1

page_text: be worked in Bessemer's apparatus, and which notwithstanding the phosphorus
they contain would be suitable for converting into steel by the process patented
the 16th January, A.D. 1874, and the 12th January, A.D. 1875.
When the difference of price between such cast irons and the cinder iron at
command is such that there is an advantage in increasing the proportions of finished
cast iron one of Siemens & Martin's processes consists in refining these cast irons
either completely or partially by introducing into the bath oxidating materials,
such as ores of iron or manganese, metallic scoria, or even mineral salts, which by
their decomposition disengage oxygen. It is even possible to omit the scrap iron
altogether and use only cast iron and oxidating materials.
The improved process of conversion which constitutes this present Invention is
still perfectly applicable to this particular case, that is to say, that steels of very
good quality can be obtained by melting in a furnace, whether with fixed or
inoveable botton or whatever may be the plan of furnace, impure cast iron
containing up to four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and in refining these
cast irons by metallic oxides or scoria or salts, provided that the operation is always
finished by an addition of ferro-inanganese or ferro silicium, whose function it is to
deoxidize the liquid mass, introducing only insignificant proportions of carbon.
It should here be observed that by the present improved processes alloys of iron
and manganese can be obtained containing as much as sixty-five per cent. of this
latter substance, and that these alloys render the success of the present improved
process of conversion more certain and less costly.
In conclusion the present improvements consist in manufacturing steel by the
means above set forth, in using as a final addition rich alloys of iron and manganese,
or iron and silicium, starting with cast iron of a phosphoric nature containing
as much as four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and refining these cast irons
by metallic oxides, scoria, or oxidating salts in any apparatus whatsover.
In conclusion the present improvements consist in manufacturing steel by the
means above set forth in using as a final addition rich alloys of iron and manganese,
in the proportion of from thirty to eighty per cent. of manganese or iron and silicium
in the proportion of from six to twenty per cent. of silicium, and in proportion to
the quantity of manganese that is added to the bath, whether one or two per cent.
of the manganese or one-half or one per cent. of silicium, starting with cast iron of a
phosphoric nature containing as much as four parts of phosphorus in the thousand,
and refining theso cast irons by metallic oxides, scoria, or oxidating salts in any
apparatus whatsoever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th July
1870.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING CAST IRON CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC IMPURITIES
INTO STEEL OR METAL HAVING THE PROPERTIES OF STEEL." A communication from
abroad by the Foundries and Forges Company of Terre Noire La Voulte and
Bessèges, in the French Republic.
In former Letters Patent, Numbered 220, A.D. 1874, and 120, A.D. 1875, the
claims are as follows:-
First. The manufacture of steel by Be-semer's process starting with cast iron
more or less mixed with cinder iron and scrap iron, tho cast iron, cinder iron, and
scrap iron being of any origin or quality whatsoever, provided that the aggregate
does not contain more than four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and that
is has been shown the method of manufacture, that is to say, by using to finish the
operation alloys rich in iron and manganese or iron and silicium.

page_text: Second. The manufacture of steel by Siemens and Martin's process, using cast iron
and scrap iron of any origin and quality whatsoever, provided that the mixture
contains not more than four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and it has also
been shown that this operation can only give working results by using as a final
addition alloys rich in iron and manganese or iron and silicium.
But it may
happen that cast iron suitable for the manufacture of Bessemer steel, that is to say,
containing the proportions of carbon, silicium, and manganse, most conducive to
the success of the operation should be too costly or too difficult of production whilst
cast irons can be cheaply obtained, which from their composition could not be
worked in Bessemer's apparatus, and which notwithstanding the phosphorus they
contain would be suitable for converting into steel by the process patented the
16th January, A.D. 1874, and the 12th January, A.D. 1875.
When the difference of price between such cast irons and the cinder iron at
command is such that there is an advantage in increasing the proportions of finished
cast iron one of Siemens and Martin's processes consists in refining these cast irons
either completely or partially by introducing into the bath oxidating materials, such
as ores of iron or manganese, metallic scoria, or even mineral salts, which by their
decomposition disengage oxygen. It is even possible to omit the scrap iron
altogether and use only cast iron and oxidating materials.
The improved process of conversion which constitutes this present Invention is
still perfectly applicable to this particular case, that is to say, that steels of very
good quality can be obtained by melting in a furnace, whether with fixed or
moveable bottom, or whatever may be the plan of furnace, impure cast iron
containing up to four parts of phosphorus in the thousand, and in refining these
cast irons by metallic oxides or scoria or salts, provided that the operation is always
finished by an addition of ferro-manganese or ferro-silicium, whose function it is to
deoxidize the liquid mass, introducing only insignificant proportions of carbon.
It should here be observed that by the present improved processes alloys of iron
and manganese can be obtained containing as much as sixty-five per cent. of this
latter substance, and that these alloys render the success of the present improved
process of conversion more certain and less costly.
In conclusion the present improvements consist in manufacturing steel by the
incans above set forth, in using as a final addition rich alloys of iron and manganese,
in the proportion of from thirty to eighty per cent. of manganese or iron, and silicium
in the proportion of from six to twenty per cent. of silicium, and in proportion to
the quantity of manganese that is added to the bath, whether one or two per
cent. of the manganese, or one-half or one per cent. silicium, starting with cast iron
of a phosphoric nature, containing as much as four parts of phosphorus in the
thousand, and refining the cast irons by metallic oxides, scoria, or oxidating salts in
any apparatus whatsoever.
In order to explain this Invention more fully I will now proceed to describe the
means by which it may be effected in practice as follows:-
PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE.
I take cast iron containing from one to four parts in the thousand of phosphorus,
selecting that which is white by preference; I proceed to melt it in a furnace, suclí
as that known as Martin Siemen's furnace, or other known furnace, either fixed or
moveable, capable of giving the same degree of heat, or I introduce the said liquid
or semi-fluid iron in one of the said apparatuses and proceed to refine it by the
successive additions thereto of rich minerals, containing not more than three parts
in the thousand of phosphorous; when the refining is so far advanced that the
metal only contains traces of carbon, I add to the bath from one to two and a half
per cent. of ferro-manganese containing at least fifty per cent. of manganese, and
mix and run it. Metal obtained by this simple and economical process contains
from one to four parts in the thousand of phosphorus and traces of carbon and
manganese, and is well adapted for all the uses to which steel is now applied. It
I take cast iron containing from one to four parts in the thousand of phosphorus,
selecting that which is white by preference; I proceed to melt it in a furnace, such
as that known as Martin Siemen's furnace, or other known furnace, either fixed or
moveable, capable of giving the same degree of heat, or I introduce the said liquid
or semi-fluid iron in one of the said apparatuses and proceed to refine it by the
successive additions thereto of rich minerals, containing not more than three parts
in the thousand of phosphorous; when the refining is so far advanced that the
metal only contains traces of carbon, I add to the bath from one to two and a half
per cent of ferro-manganese containing at least fifty per cent. of manganese, and
mix and run it. Metal obtained by this simple and economical process contains
from one to four parts in the thousand of phosphorus and traces of carbon and
manganese, and is well adapted for all the uses to which steel is now applied. It

page_text: should here be observed that if desirable ferro-silicium can be substituted for the
ferro-manganese above mentioned.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for improvements in the
process of converting cast iron containing phosphoric impurities into steel or metal
having the properties of steel, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
and the means by which it may be effected, I would remark that I do not claim
the general process of refining cast iron by the use of minerals. But what I claim
as this Invention is as follows:--
Firstly. The particular mode and process above described of treating and
operating upon cast iron containing phosphoric impurities.
Secondly. Manufacturing by the above process phosphoric steel containing traces
of carbon and manganese or silicium.
Thirdly. The employment of alloys of iron and manganese containing from
thirty to eighty per cent. of manganese or iron and silicum, containing from six
to twenty per cent. of silicium, and in such proportion as to add to the bath from
one to two per cent. of manganese, or from one-half per cent. to one per cent. of
silicium, as above stated for the production direct of phosphoric steel from impure
cast iron and minerals, without employing the processes of refining, puddling, or any
other intermediate operation as at present employed in the conversion of iron into
steel.
In witness thereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
ALEX. BROWNE. (L.S.)