AN IMPROVE- MENTOR BRAVEMtume TYT MOD MENT OF INDROVO IN QUS M. UFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Dingley, of Blakeheath, Rowley, in
the County of Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENTOR
BRAVEMtume TYT MOD
MENT OF INDROVO IN QUS M.
UFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.'
"
Sealed the 2nd July 1872, and dated the 21st February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dingley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st February 1872.
I, WILLIAM DINGLEY, of Blake Heath, Rowley, in the County of
Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
STEEL," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvement or improvements herein-
after described in treating iron or steel in the process of puddling,
whereby any phosphorus and sulphur contained in the iron or steel
being puddled are very rapidly and effectually removed.

page_text: In carrying my Invention into effect I take crude sulphate of soda,
commonly called salt cake, that is to say, the compound formed by
treating chloride of sodium or common salt with sulphuric acid or oil
of vitriol.
In conducting the puddling process I proceed as follows:-After the
iron or steel has been melted and puddled about fifteen minutes and
cinder has formed on its surface and the evolution of gas (commonly
called boiling) commences, I introduce into the puddling furnace and
upon the surface of the melted iron or steel a quantity of the said salt
cake. I prefer to use 12 ounces of the said salt cake to each heat
of 4 or 4 cwt. of iron or steel, but I do not limit myself to the
particular quantity. After the addition of the said salt cake the puddler
proceeds to finish the puddling of the iron or steel in the usual manner.
The puddled iron or steel is balled and bloomed or otherwise treated in
the ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Dingley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DINGLEY, of Blakeheath, Rowley, in the County of Stafford, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Dingley, Her special
licence that I, the said William Dingley, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Dingley, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Dingley, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Dingley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
-
My Invention consists of the improvement or improvements herein-
after described in treating iron or steel in the process of puddling,
whereby ay phosphorus and sulphur contained in the iron or steel
being puddled are very rapidly and effectually removed.
In carrying my Invention into effect I take crude sulphate of soda,
commonly called salt cake, that is to say, the compound formed by
treating chloride of sodium or common salt with sulphuric acid or oil
of vitriol. When the said crude sulphate of soda cannot be obtained
ready formed it may be made by slowly adding to chloride of sodium
or common salt one-half its weight of sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol.
Hydrochloric acid gas passes off, and the sulphate of soda formed
requires to be completely freed from the said hydrochloric acid gas
before it is used. To effect this I allow the mixture of oil of vitriol and
salt to remain in an exposed place during twenty-four hours, by which
time the greater part of the hydrochloric acid gas will have escaped,
and I afterwards expel the last traces of the said gas by heating the
saline mass in a stove. Instead of the crude sulphate of soda or salt
cake the sulphate of soda of commerce may be employed, in which
case the salt after having been powdered must be heated so as to be
thoroughly deprived of water.
In conducting the puddling process I proceed as follows:-After the
iron or steel has been melted and puddled about fifteen minutes and cinder
has formed on its surface and the evolution of gas (commonly called

page_text: boiling) commences, I introduce into the puddling furnace and upon
the surface of the melted iron or steel a quantity of the said salt cake.
I prefer to use 12 ounces of the said salt cake to each heat of 4 or
4 cwt. of iron or steel, but I do not limit myself to the particular
quantity. I have found in practice that from half a pound to three
quarters of a pound of the said cake for each heat of 4 cwt. of
iron or steel is suitable for the various kinds of iron or steel ordinarily
manufactured, but a quantity greater than that indicated may be used
without injury to the iron or steel operated upon.
Instead of using the salt cake or sulphate of soda alone it may be
used in admixture with sal enixum or bi-sulphate of potash.
The salt cake may be mixed with an equal weight of sal enixum or a
less quantity and the mixture used as herein-before described with
reference to salt cake alone.
I prefer to add to the quantity of salt cake used with each heat of
iron or steel one ounce of powdered and dried sulphate of iron or
copperas. The addition of the sulphate of iron thickens and improves
the quality of the cinder produced during the puddling process. After
the addition of the salt cake the puddler proceeds to finish the puddling
of the iron or steel in the usual manner.
Although the puddling process may be conducted in the ordinary
way, the salt cake being added at the stage of the puddling process
already indicated, yet I prefer to stir the iron ten or twelve minutes
longer than usual before closing the damper of the puddling furnace,
and then add the salt cake and proceed to complete in the ordinary
manner. The puddled iron or steel is balled and bloomed or otherwise
treated in the ordinary way.
Iron and steel manufactured according to my Invention are found
remarkably free from phosphorus and sulphur.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention, but
I claim as my Invention, the improvement or improvements in the
manufacture of iron and steel herein-before described, that is to say,
treating the iron or steel during the puddling process with salt cake

page_text: or sulphate of soda either alone or in conjunction with sal enixum or
bi-sulphate of potash, and either with or without the addition of dried
sulphate of iron, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Dingley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM DINGLEY. (L.S.)