IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON." A communication from
abroad by Robert H. Hamilton and William Griffith, both of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1880.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lanc, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT
IRON." [A communication from abroad by Robert H. Hamilton and William
Griffith, both of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improved treatment of iron during the process of
puddling, whereby it is more refined and rendered more tough and fibrous than by
the ordinary treatment of iron in a puddling furnace. The furnace which is
employed in the practical operation of this process may be the ordinary rever-
beratory furnace used for puddling iron, although any description of reverberatory
furnace adapted for boiling iron may be used.
The hearth of the furnace is covered with ciuder and prepared in the ordinary
way; the fire is started in the grate, and the furnace heated up as usual. The pig
iron is then charged into the hearth, and the furnace fired up until the iron is
completely melted. As soon as the iron is melted the furnace is stoppered up, the
damper raised, and the fire agitated so as to get up a strong heat, which is kept up
until the iron has boiled for from fifteen to thirty minutes. While the iron is still
boiling, and before it begins to come to nature, there is added to the charge of
melted iron in the furnace a mixture or compound of black oxide of manganese,
sal-soda, nitrate of soda, and bi-borate of soda. The ingredients well mixed
together in the proportions hereinafter stated having been introduced into the
hearth of the furnace are thoroughly stirred into the mass of melted iron, and the
process of puddling is then proceeded with in the usual way, excepting that it is
unnecessary to introduce slag or cinder into the furnace at any time during the
process of puddling; and also that the iron comes to nature, and can be balled and
removed from the hearth much sooner than by the ordinary process.

page_text: The effect of the introduction of the mixture of ingredients herein before
mentioned to the melted iron before it comes to nature is that the sulphur and
other impurities in the iron and contaminations of the blast furnace are carried off
by the slag, so that a very superior quality of puddled iron is produced from an
inferior grade of blast furnace pig.
If desired the mixture of ingredients may be added to the iron in the puddling
furnace as soon as the iron is melted and before boiling, but it is preferred to boil
the iron before introducing the physic, as above described.
The proportions of the ingredients employed may be varied somewhat without
materially affecting the result, but the following has been found to be a very good
mixture
The effect of the introduction of the mixture of ingredients herein before
mentioned to the melted iron before it comes to nature is that the sulphur and
other impurities in the iron and contaminations of the blast furnace are carried off
by the slag, so that a very superior quality of puddled iron is produced from an
inferior grade of blast furnace pig.
If desired the mixture of ingredients may be added to the iron in the puddling
furnace as soon as the iron is melted and before boiling, but it is preferred to boil
the iron before introducing the physic, as above described.
The proportions of the ingredients employed may be varied somewhat without
materially affecting the result, but the following has been found to be a very good
mixture
For a charge of 450 pounds of pig iron are used,—
Black oxide of manganese
Sal soda
-
Nitrate of soda.
Bi-borate of soda
-
1 lb.
3 oz.
G oz.
-
6 oz.
-
These are to be thoroughly mixed before being used. In place of the sal soda a
double quantity by weight of muriate of soda may be used, and instead of the
bi-borate of soda an equal quantity by weight of inuriate of ammonia may be
employed.
Although it is preferred to make use of the mixture of bi-borate of soda or of
muriate of ammonia with black oxide of manganesc, sal soda, and nitrate of soda,
as before stated, yet I do not confine myself to the use of such mixture, as it is
found that either the bi-borate of soda or the muriate of ammonia may be used
alone and without the other ingredients with very beneficial results on the iron,
although the result is not so satisfactory as when tho manganese, sal soda, and
nitrate of soda aro added.
If the bi-borate of soda or the muriate of ammonia is used alone, the quantity
should be about double that before stated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
September 1880.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lanc, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT
IRON." A communication from abroad by Robert H. Hamilton and William
Griffith, both of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved treatment of iron during the process of
puddling, whereby it is more refined and rendered more tough and fibrous than by
the ordinary treatment of iron in a puddling furnace. The furnace which is
employed in the practical operation of this process may be the ordinary rever-
beratory furnace used for puddling iron, although any description of reverberatory
furnace adapted for boiling iron may be used.
The hearth of the furnace is covered with cinder and prepared in the ordinary
way; the fire is started in the grate, and the furnace heated up as usual. The pig
iron is then charged into the hearth, and the furnace fired up until the iron is
completely melted. As soon as the iron is melted the furnace is stoppered up, the
damper raised, and the fire agitated so as to get up a strong heat, which is kept up
until the iron has boiled for from fifteen to thirty minutes. While the iron is still
boiling, and before it begins to come to nature, there is added to the charge of
melted iron in the furnace a mixture or compound of black oxide of manganese,
sal-soda, nitrate of soda, and bi-borate of soda. The ingredients well mixed
together in the proportions hereinafter stated having been introduced into the
hearth of the furnace are thoroughly stirred into the mass of melted iron, and the
process of puddling is then proceeded with in the usual way, excepting that it is
unnecessary to introduce slag or cinder into the furnace at any time during the
process of puddling; and also that the iron comes to nature and can be balled and
reinoved from the hearth much sooner than by the ordinary process.
The effect of the introduction of the mixture of ingredients hereinbefore
mentioned to the melted iron before it comes to nature is that the sulphur and
other impurities in the iron and contaminations of the blast furnace are carried off
by the slag, so that a very superior quality of puddled iron is produced from an
inferior grade of blast furnace pig.
If desired the mixture of ingredients may be added to the iron in the puddling
furnace as soon as the iron is melted and before boiling, but it is preferred to boil
the iron before introducing the physic, as above described.
The proportions of the ingredients employed may be varied somewhat without
materially affecting the result, but the following has been found to be a very good
mixture:-
Wabouna
10ounds at
used

page_text: without the other ingredients with very bencficial results on the iron, although the
result is not so satisfactory as when the manganese, sal-soda, and nitrate of soda
are added.
If the bi-borate of soda or the muriate of ammonia is used alone the quantity
should be about double that before stated.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by ny foreign correspondents, I
claim in respect of the treatment of iron during the process of puddling,-
First. After melting and boiling the iron, but before it comes to nature, adding
to it and mixing with it bi-borate of soda, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
Second. After melting and boiling the iron, but before it comes to nature, adding
to it and mixing with it muriato of ammonia, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
Third. After melting and boiling the iron, and before it comes to nature, adding
to it and mixing with it a compound of black oxide of manganese, sal soda or
common salt, nitrate of soda, and either bi-borate of soda or muriate of aminonia,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.