Improvements in Processes for Treating Tinned or Galvanized Scrap Iron.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Processes for Treating Tinned or Galvanized
Scrap Iron.
We, ALFRED JOHN CAMPION of No. 11 Buckingham Street, Strand, London,
Financial Agent, and JOHN EDWARD TENISON-WOODS of No. 263. Camberwell New
Road, London, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
Our invention is with the object of treating refuse scrap iron such as old galvanized
iron pails and vessels and worn out zinced roofing as well as tinned iron scrap and
refuse, and old tins, boxes, and cases, with the object of removing the zinc or tin
therefrom, and at the same time forming a flux which absorbs the oxides of the fore-
mentioned metals, and causes the iron to weld into a homogeneous mass of fine
quality. By our process the old zinc vessels, roofing, wire &c., so called galvanized,
or the tin refuse or scrap above mentioned is pressed into cakes and heated
reverberatory furnace with the addition of a mixture of nitrate of soda and oxide of
manganese, either with or without the addition of powdered feldspah or granite
according to circumstances, and in proportions corresponding to the amount of
extraneous metals, covering or mixed with the scrap iron. In general from
2 to 10 per cent. of the above mixture is found sufficient. Before the pressed impure
scrap iron is first put into the furnace, it is dipped into a boiling solution saturated
with nitrate of soda containing a certain percentage of powdered oxide of manganese
which varies with the quantity of metals to be removed. Caustic soda would
occasionally have to be used in this dipping solution, but is not always essential; or
one half of the quantity of the flux to be used is added, and the heat of the furnace is
then raised to full welding temperature. The remainder of the flux is then strewn
over the cakes of iron, which are afterwards withdrawn and are either hammered or
rolled in the ordinary way into any desired form. The iron will now be found to be
quite homogeneous, and solid, and free from any zinc, tin, or arsenic, sulphur,
phosphorous, or lead which may have existed on or in the original impure scrap.
The oxides of the above metals will be combined with the flux used and can be.
recovered from the hammer or roll slag eliminated as the iron is worked up, and these
oxides can be again utilized by several well known processes. When the recovered
homogeneous iron is intended for drawing into wire for telegraph or other purposes,
about 2 to 5 per cent. of chrome ore is added before the billets are withdrawn from the
furnace, which increases the toughness and strength of the wire produced.
Doted this 12th day of September 1889.
ALFRED JOHN CAMPION.
JOHN EDWARD TENISON-WOODS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Processes for Treating Tinned or Galvanized
Scrap Iron.
We, ALFRED JOHN CAMPION of High Cliff Hotel, Cliftonville, Margate, in the
County of Kent, Financial Agent, and JOHN EDWARD TENISON-WOODS of No. 263
Camberwell New Road, London, Civil & Chemical Engineer 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 :-
Our invention has for its objects the treatment of refuse scrap iron, such as old
galvanized iron pails and vessels and worn out zinced roofing as well as tinned iron
scrap and refuse old tins; boxes, cases, or in other words the treatment of metallic

page_text: substances containing tin and other metal or metals so as to separate, recover, and
utilize the same.
In practising this invention the tin, zinc, or such like metal or metals are recovered or
separated from the mass by the process of heating, oxidization and fluxing so as to
cleanse the iron thereof, and render it workable or weldable into a homogeneous mass
of fine quality.
Old zinc vessels, roofing, wire, etcetera, so called galvanized, or the tin scrap to be
treated as above mentioned can be pressed into cakes and heated in a reverberatory or
other suitable furnace with the addition of a mixture of nitrate of soda or other suitable
alkaline salt such as carbonate of soda in equivalent proportions and an oxide or
oxides of manganese or equivalent base or bases for instance chromium salts or oxides
of chromium capable of combining with a high equivalent of oxygen either with
or without the addition of powdered feldspar granite etcetera according to circum-
stances and in proportions corresponding to the amount of metal or metals to be
oxidized and separated from the iron and in practice generally two to ten per cent.
of the above mixture is found sufficient to obtain the results set forth for instance
the proportions of the alkaline compounds when used alone should be double the
weight of the tin or other metal to be recovered and when such alkaline com-
pounds are used in combination with an oxidizing agent or agents the proportions
thereof relatively to the metal to be recovered should be about the same as before
stated with the oxidizing agent or agents employed therein being in the proportion
of one tenth-relatively to the alkaline compounds and when a fluxing agent or
agents is or are used in combination with such alkaline compounds or oxidizing
agent or agents or a combination thereof-the proportions of such fluxing agent
or agents relatively thereto should be about one third of the whole.
In carrying the process into practice under one method of procedure the scrap iron
is dipped into a heated solution or bath of nitrate of soda with caustic soda in
equivalent proportions or the oxidizing agents as before mentioned or a combination
of such alkalies and such oxidizing agent or agents.
In working the processes as described for the separation and recovery of tin
and other metals from the iron by oxidizing and fluxing the metal or metals to
be separated the oxidizing action can be also effected by forcing air into or
through the heated metal or metals or mass with or without using an oxidizing
agent or agents as before described.
The metallic substance as before mentioned when in or being heated in the
furnace to a welding or other temperature can be treated with any desired
additional quantity of fluxing agent or agents so as to recover entirely the oxide
of the metal or oxides of the metals from the iron which when heated to the
desired degree of temperature is withdrawn and hammered rolled or worked in
any preferred manner for the production of articles or materials of commerce.
Iron scrap etcetera treated as described will be found to be quite homogeneous and
solid and free from any tin zinc arsenic sulphur phosphorus or lead which may have
existed on or in the original material.
The oxides of the above mentioned metals will be combined with the flux used and
can be run off into ingots and the balance if any can be recovered by hammering or
rolling as the iron is worked.
These oxides can be recovered from the slag and utilized by any suitable process or
processes.
By the addition of from two to five per cent. of chrome ore to the billets before they
are withdrawn from the furnace a thoroughly homogeneous metal of great toughness
and strength will be produced suitable for manufacturing telegraph wire and other
articles of commerce in which such qualities are essential or advantageous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The treatment of a metallic substance or metallic substances containing tin and

page_text: other metal or metals, or iron in combination with or coated with other metal or
metals so as to separate recover and utilize the iron in a pure state or the iron and one
or more other metals with which it may have been coated or combined substantially
as set forth.
2. The treatment of a metallic substance or substances containing tin and other
metal or metals for the separation and recovery of such by the process of heating
oxidizing and fluxing substantially as set forth.
3. The treatment of a metallic substance or substances containing zinc and other
metal or metals for the separation and recovery of such by the process of heating
oxidizing and fluxing substantially as set forth.
4. The production and use of a homogeneous iron from such as scrap iron or metals
with which tin or zinc or alloys thereof were in combination as a coating or otherwise
by the process of heat and the use of oxidizing and fluxing agent or agents and the
subsequent working hammering rolling or compressing of the iron so cleansed or
purified substantially as set forth.
5. The treatment of a metallic substance having tin or zinc or such like metal or
metals in combination with another metal such as iron as a coating or otherwise by the
employment of nitrate of soda or other suitable alkaline salt with or without using an
oxide or oxides of manganese or other suitable base or bases or oxidizing agent or
agents capable of combining with a high equivalent of oxygen substantially as set
forth.
6. In the treatment of a metallic substance or substances having tin or zinc or such
like metal or metals in combination with another metal such as iron as a coating or
otherwise the employment of feldspar granite or other suitable fluxing agent or agents
for the separation and recovery of the metal or metals as substantially set forth.
7. In the treatment of a metallic substance or substances having tin or zinc or such
like metal or metals in combination with another metal such as iron as a coating or other-
wise the employment of nitrate of soda or other suitable alkaline salt with or without
using an oxide or oxides of manganese or other suitable base or bases or an oxidizing
agent or agents capable of combining with a high equivalent of oxygen and feldspar
granite or other suitable fluxing agent or agents substantially as set forth.
8. In the treatment of a metallic substance or substances having tin or zinc or such
like metal or metals in combination with another metal such as iron as a coating or
otherwise the employment of caustic soda or the equivalent thereof in combination
with an oxidizing and fluxing agent or agents as substantially set forth.
9. In the process for the separation and recovery of metals substantially as herein
described the use of a fluxing agent or agents in such relative proportions to one or
more of the metals to be separated so as to provide for the entire oxidization of one or
more of such and the recovery of one or more of such in a metallic state.
10. The production or use of a highly fusible silicate slag consisting of an oxide of a
metal or the oxides of different metals separated from a metallic substance in which tin
and other metal or metals or zinc and other metal or metals or the base or bases
thereof when in combination as alloys or as one or more metals being coated with
another or otherwise and one or more fluxing agents which have been reduced by the
processes of heat with a metallic substance of the character above described.
Dated this First day of January 1890
ALFRED JOHN CAMPION.
JOHN EDWARD TENISON-WOODS.