IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING ORES AND IN REFINING CRUDE METALS. IN ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL COPPER, TIN; AND LEAD, AND IN APPARATUS THEREPOR."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gray and Rankin Weir, both of Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING ORES AND IN REFINING CRUDE METALS. IN
ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL COPPER, TIN; AND LEAD, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREPOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gray and
Rankin Weir at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 12th June 1868.
We, JAMES GRAY and RANKIN WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING ORES AND IN REFINING CRUDE
METALS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL, COPPER, TIN, AND LEAD, AND, IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say
This Invention has principally for its object the obtaining of steel
from iron ores and from crude metal, but it is also applicable for
obtaining from their ores copper, tin, and lead, or for refining these
metals.

page_text: The Invention comprises certain means for driving off phosphorus,
sulphur, silicon, boron, and other impurities in a more effectual and
economical manner than heretofore.
One part of the Invention relates to the treatment of the ores in a
smelting or similar furnace, such ores being by preference previously
calcined, and consists in causing to be injected into the furnace in the
form of spray a hydrocarbon oil, and along therewith or instead thereof
one or more of certain acids or alkalies. The acids and alkalies to be
thus used are acetic and other organic or fatty acids and potash, soda,
and ammonia. These materials are by preference to be introduced
into the tuyeres so as to be carried into the furnace along with the
blast.
The second part of the Invention relates to the refining of the more or
less crude metal obtained according to the first part, and is also appli-
cable for refining crude metals obtained otherwise. The crude metal
is to be run in a melted state into a ladle or vessel lined with fire-brick
or other suitable refractory material, and is therein to be subjected to
a further treatment with any one or more of the materials used in carry-
ing out the first part of the Invention, such material being made to play
on the surface and to be injected below the surface by means of a
tubular rabble or similar tool through which it is forced. After this
treatment the melted metal is to be run into a chamber or vessel lined
with charcoal, such charcoal being saturated with hydrocarbon oil.
When partly cooled the metal may be hammered or otherwise treated
by ordinary manufacturing processes.
SPCEIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Gray and Rankin Weir in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
GRAY and RANKIN WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-

page_text: first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said James Gray and Rankin Weir, Her special
licence, that we, the said James Gray and Rankin Weir, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Gray
and Rankin Weir, our 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, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING ORES AND JN REFINING CRUDE METALS IN
ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL, COPPER, TIN, AND LEAD, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Gray and
Rankin Weir, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, 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 we, the said James Gray and Rankin Weir,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say:-
Our said Invention has principally for its object the obtaining of
steel from iron ores and from crude metal, but it is also applicable for
obtaining from their ores copper, tin, and lead, or for refining these
metals.
Our Invention comprises certain means for driving off phosphorus,
sulphur, silicon, boron, and other impurities in a more effectual and
economical manner than heretofore.
One part of our Invention relates to the treatment of the ores'in a
smelting or similar furnace, such ores being by preference previously
calcined; and consists in causing to be injected into the furnace in
the form of spray a hydrocarbon oil, and along therewith or instead
thereof one or more of certain acids or alkalies. The acids and alkalies
to be thus used are acetic and other organic or fatty acids, and potash,
soda, and ammonia. These materials are by preference to be intro-
duced into the tuyeres so as to be carried into the furnace along with
the blast.

page_text: The second part of our Invention relates to the refining of the more
or less crude metal obtained according to the first part, and is also
applicable for refining crude metals obtained otherwise. The crude
metal is to be run in a melted state into a ladle or vessel lined with
fire-brick or other suitable refractory material, and is therein to be
subjected to a further treatment with any one or more of the materials
used in carrying out the first part of the Invention, such material being
made to play on the surface and to be injected below the surface by
means of a tubular rabble or similar tool through which it is forced.
The vessel for this operation may be made like an ordinary cupola
furnace and ordinary tuyeres may be used for injecting the materials,
the vessel or furnace being placed at a low enough level for the melted
metal to be run into it from the furnace in which the first operation is
conducted. After this treatment the melted metal is to be run into a
chamber, vessel, or mould lined with charcoal, such charcoal being
saturated with hydrocarbon oil. When treating iron or steel there
may be substituted for the hydrocarbon oil or for some of it other
substances containing hydrogen and carbon, those being preferred
which also contain nitrogen, such as ground or pulverised bones, broken
or reduced hoofs, and hair. Also soot, fine sand, ground fire-brick,
or other suitable pulverised refractory material may be substituted for
the charcoal to be combined with the other materials in forming the
moulds. We prefer to form these moulds or vessels so as to form slabs
or plates of the metal in a vertical position, and from one to two inches
thick, about six inches broad, and of any convenient length horizontally.
When partly cooled the metal may be hammered or otherwise treated
by ordinary manufacturing processes.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we have to state that we do
not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein-before referred to,
but that what we believe to be novel and original and claim as the
Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1. The treating of metallic ores in the smelting furnace with a hydro-
carbon oil, with acetic or other organic or fatty acids, or with potash,
soda, or ammonia, such material or materials being injected in the form
of spray along with the ordinary blast or otherwise, substantially as
herein-before described.

page_text: 2. The refining of crude metal by causing the materials referred in the
preceding claim to play upon and be injected below its surface when it
is in a melted state, substantially as herein-before described.
3. The running of the melted metal into vessels or moulds composed
of charcoal, soot, sand, or other refractory material, and hydrocarbon
oil or substances containing nitrogen as well as carbon and hydrogen,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rankin Weir, on behalf of the said
James Gray and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
RANKIN WEIR. (L.S.)