Improvements in the Manufacture of Ingot Iron and Steel.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ingot Iron and Steel.
We, JOSEPH COLLEY 44 Wellington Road Bilston, County of Stafford Steel
Works Engineer, and THOMAS TWYNAM, 10 Blandford Road Bedford Park,
Chiswick W., Metallurgical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of ingot iron and steel
by the Bessemer and Siemens process, and has for its object more especially
increasing the yield of steel during each operation, by utilizing some of the excess
of heat, and heat giving metalloids in the pig metal to be converted, for the direct
reduction of iron oxides, which oxides are thereby reduced to metal and converted
into steel simultaneously with the pig iron.
In the Bessemer process, both acid and basic, uniformity of composition in the
charge of pig metal to be converted, is of the utmost importance more especially as
regards the content of silicon present, and, to obtain this uniformity of composition,
large receivers or "mixers are now being employed, which have a capacity of
upwards of fifty tons of pig iron, the molten metal from the blast furnace being run
in from time to time and drawn out as it is required for conversion.
"
We find that when using ordinary metal ladles, but more especially when using
them in conjunction with such a "mixer" or receiver, quite a large quantity of iron
oxide may be reduced to metal by the excess of heat of the pig iron, by the
following process:-
Before the metal is introduced into the ladle, we throw in a roughly ground
intimate mixture of iron oxides and carbon, upon which the molten metal is run,
and the whole charged either into the "mixer or into the vessel or furnace in
which the conversion is to be effected. When a "mixer" is used we also make
additions of oxide and carbon directly to it, preferably at the moment of running in
fresh quantities of pig iron. In this case the mixture is most advantageously added
in the form of rough bricks or blocks.
In acid Bessemer practice, the iron oxide used must be practically free from
phosphorus; we find scale to be a very suitable form of oxide to use in this con-
nection. A slight decrease of silicon takes place; the heat of the metal being
Bomewhat increased.
In the basic Bessemer process, phosphoric iron oxides may be used. We have
found tap cinder to give very favourable results, the silicon of the metal being very
considerably reduced by its use.
When molten metal is used in open hearth practice the above method of
procedure is applicable, rather larger quantities of oxide may then be safely used,
a cooler metal being an advantage.
We do not always run the slag with the metal into the receiving vessel or
furnace, as we find that often the reduction is so far complete in the ladle that it is
better to reject the somewhat silicious slag which forms, this is especially the case
in basic practice.
The ladle made use of should be hot, and a little of the former charge, sufficient
to cover the bottom may be left in.
Any suitable form of carbon may be made use of to mix with the oxide or cinder,
so long as the sulphur in it is low. The proportion of it used may be from ten to
thirty per cent. of the weight of the oxide added.
"
The quantity of oxide or cinder that may be safely used in the ladle varies with
the heat and composition of the pig iron used.

page_text: The higher the silicon the more oxide may be added without fear of too great
cooling.
Dated this 24th day of September 1899
JOSEPH COLLEY.
THOMAS TWYNAM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ingot Iron and Steel.
We, JOSEPH COLLEY of 44 Wellington Road, Bilston, County of Stafford,
Steel Works Engineer, and THOMAS TWYNAM, of 10 Blandford Road, Bedford
Park, Chiswick, W., Metallurgical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of ingot iron and
steel, when produced by the Bessemer and Siemens processes, and has for its object
more especially increasing the yield of steel during each operation, by utilizing
some of the excess of heat, and heat giving metalloids in the pig metal to be
converted, for the direct reduction of iron oxides, which oxides are thereby reduced
to metal, and converted into steel simultaneously with the pig iron.
In the Bessemer process both acid and basic uniformity of composition in the
charge of crude metal to be converted, is of the utmost importance more especially
as regards the content of silicon present, and to obtain this uniformity of
composition large receivers or mixers" are now being employed, having in some
cases a capacity of upwards of fifty tons of pig iron, the molten metal from the blast
furnace being run in from time to time, and drawn out as it is required for conversion
into steel.
66
"
We find that when using ordinary metal ladles, but more especially when using
them in conjunction with such a mixer or receiver, a large quantity of iron oxide
may be reduced to metal by the excess of heat of the molten pig iron, by the
following process:—
Before the metal is introduced into the ladle we throw in a roughly ground
intimate mixture of iron oxides and carbon, upon which the molten pig metal is
theu run, and the whole transferred either into the "mixer' or into the vessel or
furnace in which the conversion is to be effected.
"
When a "mixer" is used we also make additions of oxide and carbon directly
into it, preferably at the moment of running in fresh quantities of pig iron. In
this case the mixture added may advantageously be in the form of rough bricks or
blocks.
In acid Bessemer practice the iron oxide used must be practically free from
phosphorus; we have found scale to be a very suitable form of iron oxide to use in
this connection. A slight decrease of silicon takes place; the heat of the metal
being somewhat increased.
In basic Bessemer practice phosphoric iron oxides may be used. We have found
tap cinder to give very favourable results, the percentage of silicon in the metal
heing very cousiderably reduced by its use.
When molten metal is used, either in basic or open-hearth practice, the above
method of procedure is applicable, rather larger quantities of oxide may then be
safely used, a cooler metal being of advantage.
We do not always run the slag with the metal into the receiving vessel or
furnace, as we find that often the reduction of the iron oxide is so far complete in
the ladle that it is better to reject the somewhat silicious slag which forms; this is
especially the case in basic practice.
The ladle made use of should be hot and a little of the former charge, sufficient
to cover the bottom, may be left in.
Any suitable form of carbon may be used to mix with the oxide or cinder, so long:

page_text: as the sulphur in it is low. The proportion of carbon used should be from ten to
thirty per cent. of the weight of oxide.
The quantity of oxide or cinder that may be safely used in the ladle in this way
varies with the heat and composition of the pig iron used. The higher the silicon
or phosphorus in the pig iron, the more oxide may be added without fear of too great
cooling. When the slag shows any tendency to gather a little lime may be added
in the ladle or "mixer to thin it.
We have found in practical working that from 1 cwt. to 2 cwt. of the mixture of
iron oxide & carbon (containing about 15% of carbon) may be added in the above
described manner per ton of molten pig iron blown.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In the manufacture of steel, both acid and basic, increasing the yield of steel
obtained from a given weight of pig iron, by directly reducing iron from a mixture
of iron oxide and carbon, by pouring the pig iron to be converted upon such a
inixture contained either in the ladle or other receptacle in which the pig iron is
held before conversion.
Dated thin ofth day of June 1803
JOS. COLLEY.
T. TWYNAM.