IMPROVEMENTS IN AND COMPOUNDS FOR TREATING OR PURIFYING CAST IRON, WROUGHT IRON, OR STEEL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
COMPOUNDS FOR TREATING OR PURIFYING CAST IRON, WROUGHT IRON, OR
STEEL." A communication from abroad by Alexander Hiram Siegfried, of
Selins Grove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America,
and Truman Harvey Purdy, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, aforesaid.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co.,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND COMPOUNDS FOR TREATING OR PURIFYING CAST IRON,
WROUGHT IRON, OR STEEL." A communication from abroad by Alexander Hiram
Siegfried, of Selins Grove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, in the United States of
America, and Truman Harvey Purdy, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, aforesaid.
The object of my Invention is to improve the quality and strength of cast-iron,
wrought-iron, and steel, by eliminating therefrom to a greater or less extent the
phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, and other deleterious matters contained therein, and to
this end the Invention consists essentially in combining with the metal while it is
in a molten condition, carbonate of soda and sulphate of copper in certain limited
proportions, and also in using, in addition to said compound, when circumstances
may render it desirable, chloride of sodium, sulphate of iron, salammoniac, oxide of
manganese, and nitrate of potassa.
The basis of the Invention, consists in the use of the sulphate of copper and
carbonate of soda, in proportion ranging from one ounce to fourteen ounces to each

page_text: hundred pounds of metal. The proportion ordinarily used being from one to four
ounces of the compound to each hundred pounds of metal.
The other substances named are of secondary importance, and are used in con-
nection with the carbonate of soda and sulphate of copper to facilitate their action
and aid in the elimination of the impurities, as well as to give the metal greater
toughness, and in the case of wrought-iron and steel, improved welding qualities.
When the other ingredients are used in connection with the sulphate of copper
and carbonate of soda, the latter are reduced in quantity, so that the proportion
used of the entire compound will be substantially the same as that of the sulphate
of copper and carbonate of soda when they are used alone. The compound, whether
consisting of the sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda, or of the numerous
ingredients named, is used in substantially the same manner, that is to say, the
compound is applied in the same manner and at the same stage in the process of
treating the metal, whether the two or the seven ingredients are employed.
The following are the methods in which I employ my improvement in the treat-
ment of metals.
When the metal to be purified and improved is cast-iron, I incorporate the
compound with the molten cast-iron in the furnace, or with the molten iron after
it has been drawn from the furnace into a ladle or other receiver, using ordinarily
from one to four ounces of the compound for each hundred pounds of metal, and
thoroughly incorporating it therein by agitating or stirring the mass, or by any
other suitable means.
It is found in practice that the effect of thus applying the chemicals is to eliminate
or neutralize wholly, or to a great extent, the sulphur, phosphorus, silicon, and other
foreign matter contained in the metal, leaving the latter in a greater purified and
highly improved condition.
In connection with the Bessemer process for manufacturing steel,. I introduce the
compound into the molten metal after the latter has been decarbonized, either in
the converter or in the shank, ladle, or other receiver into which the molten metal
is delivered from the converter.
I also propose in the process of converting metal in the Bessemer converter
into wrought-iron, to make use of my compound in the converter before the
recarbonization.
I also propose to make use of my process in connection with the Siemens or open
hearth process of making steel, introducing my compound in such case into the
molten metal after the decarbonization has taken place, and also if desired, after
recarbonization. In each case it is to be understood that in each and every
instance in which the compound is used, it is to be applied while the metal is
in a molten condition, and that it is to be thoroughly incorporated therewith.
It is also to be understood, that under ordinary circumstances, when the metal
to be acted upon contains only a ordinary amount of sulphur and phosphorus,
the amount of the compound required will not exceed four ounces to each hundred
pounds of metal, although the proportion may be increased in exceptional cases
when very impure metal is to be treated to fourteen ounces to each hundred pounds
of metal. Beyond this limit it is found that certain objections arise from the use of
the materials.
While a single treatment of the metal with my compound is highly beneficial,
and is in many cases sufficient for all purposes required, it is to be understood that
the treatment may be repeated any suitable number of times, either by simply
remelting the metal for the purpose of applying my treatment, or by applying the
treatment during different steps or stages of converting the cast-iron into wrought-
iron or steel. For example, the treatment may be applied to the cast-iron, again
to the iron in the puddling furnace, and again to the metal at one or more stages
in the convertion of the wrought-iron into steel.
When I make use of the compound consisting only of the two ingredients,
sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda, I prefer to use them in substantially

page_text: equal proportions. When I use in connection with the sulphate of copper and
carbonate of soda the other ingredients named, I prefer to have the compound
composed substantially as follows:-
Sulphate of copper, 1 pound.
Carbonate of soda, 1 pound.
Chloride of sodium, 4 pounds.
Sulphate of iron, 1 pound.
Sal ammoniac, 1 pound.
Oxide of manganese, 1 pound.
Nitrate of potassa, 1 pound.
The proportions above specified may however be departed from within reasonable
limits, as occasion may require, or as the varying qualities of the metal operated
upon may demand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd August 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Co.,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND COMPOUNDS FOR TREATING OR PURIFYING CAST IRON,
WROUGHT IRON, OR STEEL." A communication from abroad by Alexander Hiram
Siegfried, of Selins Grove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, in the United States of
America, and Truman Harvey Purdy, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, aforesaid.
The object of this Invention is to improve the quality and strength of cast iron,
wrought-iron, and steel by eliminating therefrom, to a greater or less extent, the
phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, and other deleterious matters contained therein, and
to this end the Invention consists essentially in combining with the metal, while
it is in a molten condition, carbonate of soda and sulphate of copper in certain
limited proportions, and also in using, in addition to said compound, when circum-
stances may render it desirable, chloride of sodium, sulphate of iron, sal ammoniac,
oxide of manganese, and nitrate of potassa.
The basis of the Invention consists in the use of the sulphate of copper and
carbonate of soda in proportion ranging from one ounce to fourteen ounces to each
hundred pounds of metal. The proportion ordinarily used being from one to four
ounces of the compound to each hundred pounds of metal.
The other substances named are of secondary importance, and are used in con-
nection with the carbonate of soda and sulphate of copper to facilitate their action
and aid in the elimination of the impurities as well as to give the metal greater
toughness, and in the case of wrought-iron and steel improved welding qualities.
When the other ingredients are used in connection with the sulphate of copper
and carbonate of soda the latter are reduced in quantity, so that the proportion
used of the entire compound will be substantially the same as that of the sulphate
of copper and carbonate of soda when they are used alone. The compound, whether
consisting of the sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda, or of the numerous
ingredients named, is used in substantially the same manner, that is to say, the
compound is applied in the same manner and at the same stage in the process of
treating the metal, whether the two or the seven ingredients are employed.
The following are the methods in which these improvements are employed in
the treatment of metals.
When the metal to be purified and improved is cast-iron the compound is incor-
porated with the molten cast-iron in the furnace, or with the molten iron after it
has been drawn from the furnace into a ladle or other receiver, using ordinarily
from one to four ounces of the compound for each hundred pounds of metal, and
thoroughly incorporating it therein by agitating or stirring the mass, or by any
other suitable means.
t
It is found in practice that the effect of thus applying the chemicals is to eliminate
or neutralize wholly or to a great extent the sulphur, phosphorus, silicon, and other
foreign matter contained in the metal, leaving the latter in a greater purified and
highly improved condition.
In connection with the Bessemer process for manufacturing steel the compound
is introduced into the molten metal after the latter has been decarbonized either in
the converter or in the shank, ladle, or other receiver, into which the molten metal
is delivered from the converter.

page_text: It is also proposed in the process of converting metal in the Bessemer converter
into wrought-iron to make use of this compound in the converter before the
recarbonization.
It is also proposed to make use of this process in connection with the Siemens
or open hearth process of making steel, introducing the compound in such case into
the molten metal after the decarbonization has taken place, and also if desired
after recarbonization. In each case it is to be understood that in each and every
instance in which the compound is used it is to be applied while the metal is in a
molten condition, and that it is to be thoroughly incorporated therewith.
It is also to be understood that under ordinary circumstances when the metal to
be acted upon contains only an ordinary amount of sulphur and phosphorus the
amount of the compound required will not exceed four ounces to each bundred
pounds of metal, although the proportion may be increased in exceptional cases
when very impure metal is to be treated, to fourteen ounces to each hundred pounds
of metal. Beyond this limit it is found that certain objections arise from the use
of the materials.
While a single treatment of the metal with this compound is highly beneficial
and is in many cases sufficient for all purposes required it is to be understood that
the treatment may be repeated any suitable number of times, either by simply
remelting the metal for the purpose of applying this treatment or by applying the
treatment during different steps or stages of converting the cast-iron into wrought-
iron or steel. For example, the treatment may be applied to the cast-iron, again
to the iron in the puddling furnace, and again to the metal at one or more stages
in the convertion of the wrought-iron into steel.
When the compound used consists only of the two ingredients, sulphate of
copper and carbonate of soda, it is preferable to use them in substantially equal
proportions. When in connection with the sulphate of copper and carbonate of
soda the other ingredients named are used, it is preferable to have the compound
composed substantially as follows:-
Sulphate of copper, one pound.
Carbonate of soda, one pound.
Chloride of sodium, four pounds.
Sulphate of iron, one pound.
Sal ammoniac, one pound.
Oxide of manganese, one pound.
Nitrate of potassa, one pound.
The proportions above specified may however be departed from within reasonable
limits as occasion may require, or as the varying qualities of the metal operated
upon may demand.
Having thus described the Invention exactly as communicated to me by my
American correspondent, with orders to file, I wish it to be understood that what
I believe to be new, and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. In the treatment of iron or steel, combining therewith, while it is in a
molten condition, a compound of sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda in pro-
portion, not exceeding fourteen ounces of the compound to each hundred pounds of
metal.
Second. The process of purifying molten iron or steel, consisting of and incor-
porating therein sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda in the proportion of from
one to four ounces to each hundred pounds of metal.
Third. The compound for the purification of molten iron or steel, consisting
substantially of sulphate of copper, carbonate of soda, chloride of sodium, sulphate
of iron, sal ammoniac, oxide of manganese, and nitrate of potassa, or their
equivalents.
Fourth. As an improvement in the art of converting cast iron into steel, the
treatment of the metal while in a molten condition with a compound composed of

page_text: or having as a basis sulphate of copper and carbonate of soda, said compound being
applied to the molten cast iron in or from the blast furnace, and again to the
molten metal in the puddling furnace with or without a subsequent application to
the metal during the convertion into steel.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord 1881.
WM. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)