IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Joseph and Richard Joseph, both of Rockleaze,
Stoke Bishop, near Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Joseph and Richard
Joseph at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January
1880.
DAVID JOSEPH and RICHARD JOSEPH, both of Rockleaze, Stoke Bishop, near
Bristol, in the County of Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
IRON AND STEEL."
Our Invention refers to an improved mode of reducing or removing the
phosphorus, sulphur, and silicon in iron and steel during its manufacture.
For this purpose we use the well known refinery furnace constructed in the
usual manner, but preferably somewhat larger in size than ordinarily used, and we
prefer to use what is called a double refinery or one which has blast applied upon
more than one side. We conduct the operation of refining in the usual manner
except so far as is hereinafter described.
As is well known, heat in the refinery is produced by coke or charcoal with
blast. It is usual in commencing the operation to throw in a quantity of refinery
cinder, which is an oxide of iron produced in the refining of cast iron, which is
quickly melted down and forms a bath of liquid cinder on the bottom. When pig
iron is made use of it is thrown on top of the fire with coke or charcoal thrown
over it and so melted down, it has been found to be economical to run the molten iron
from the blast furnace into the refinery, thus saving the time and waste of melting
down the pig iron.
Instead of using only the refinery cinder as it is produced in the refinery furnace
we use a lesser quantity thereof, and introduce therewith a quantity of iron ores,
preferring such as are nearly pure oxides of iron, or purple ore may be used; we
consider iron ore preferable which contains manganese, and also such as may
contain chromium, titanium, or tungsten; also a quantity of lime, limestone, or
chalk (preferring to use the lime slaked and the iron ores and other materials in a
state of coarse powder or small lumps), and occasionally quantities of common or
rock salt, alumina, chloride of calcium, or fluor spar. These materials are preferably

page_text: mixed together and then thrown on the fire, so that they may be melted down prior
to the melting down of the pig or cast iron or the running in of the molten iron,
but a portion of them may be thrown in subsequently on the fire. The fluid iron
whether melted down on the refinery, or molten iron run in from a blast furnace or
from a cupola, which may sometimes be conveniently used for the fusion of the pig
or cast iron, descends and falls into the bath of cinder already produced, and takes
its place underneath the cinder by its superior gravity, the blowing proceeds; the
twyers being inclined downwards the current of air is forced through the cinder
into the molten iron, and by the agitation and contact of the molten iron with the
cinder the phosphorus, sulphur, and silicon are rapidly taken up by the cinder.
In the above operations we prefer to use blast with rather a higher pressure than
is usually used in the refinery, the quantities of these materials used being from
two to three cwt., more or less, to the ton of the iron treated.
The proportions and relative quantities of the above mentioned materials or
bodies to be used must be regulated by the analysis of the iron and the results of
experience, the proportions of lime and iron ore being generally about equal and
the other materials in smaller quantities.
When it is intended to use the metal so refined in any pneumatic converter for
conversion to steel the blowing is only continued for so short a time as is found by
experience sufficient for the reduction of the phosphorus and sulphur, and the
molten metal may be run out into moulds to be again remelted in a cupola, but we
greatly prefer to run the same directly into a converter or into a ladle or receiver,
by which it can be transferred into a converter after well known methods, where
the operation of its conversion into steel may be completed in the usual manner
and with the addition of spiegeleisen or ferro-manganese.
It will be found in order to secure a high quality of steel advantageous to mix with
this fluid refined metal a quantity of molten cast iron produced at the blast furnace
comparatively free from phosphorus and sulphur. When this refined metal is intended
to be used for conversion to steel in any open hearth furnace we prefer to continue
the blowing for a longer period, the exact time required for the iron treated being
found by experience, and the refined metal when run out may be either run into
moulds, as is usually done with refined metal, and left to cool, and so requiring to
be remelted when introduced into the open hearth furnace, or it may be run into &
ladle or receiver and so transferred to the open hearth furnace, or it may be run
direct into the open hearth furnace when conveniently situated. By this method
the operation of converting the same into steel in an open hearth furnace is greatly
facilitated and the product of such furnaces greatly increased.
In the open hearth furnace it will also be found advantageous to use a proportion
of pig iron comparatively free from phosphorus and sulphur as produced at the blast
furnace, also scrap and wrought iron, with additions of spiegeleisen or ferro-manganese
in the usual manner. When the refined metal is intended to be used for bar, plate, or
other wrought iron we may continue the blowing for a still longer period and then
let it out into moulds to cool, or direct into puddling furnaces, or it may be let
into a ladle or receiver and so be transferred to the puddling furnaces.
When convenient we may use the scoria described in the Specification of our
Patent, No. 3010 of 1879, instead of the substances above enumerated or in
conjunction therewith, and we may force any portion of the same with the blast
into the cinder and molten metal in the refinery furnace.
The cinder which runs out with or after the refined metal has in all cases to be
removed or separated from the refined metal as completely as may be practicable.
In carrying on the operations above described we prefer to make the hearth of
the refinery of the most refractory lime bricks, say, seven inches square, placed
upon their edges, or of rough ground lime which has been submitted to great heat,
selecting such as is found most infusible.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Joseph and Richard Joseph in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th July 1880.
DAVID JOSEPH and RICHARD JOSEPH, both of Rockleaze, Stoke Bishop, near
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
Bristol, in the County of Gloucester.
IRON AND STEEL."
Our Invention refers to an improved mode of reducing or removing the phos-
phorus, sulphur, and silicon in iron and steel during its manufacture. For this
purpose we use the well known refinery furnace constructed in the usual manner,
but preferably somewhat larger in size than is ordinarily used, and we prefer to use
what is called a double refinery or one which has blast applied upon more than one
side. We conduct the operation of refining in the usual manner, except so far as
hereinafter described.
As is well known, heat in the refinery is produced by coke or charcoal with
blast.
It is usual in commencing the operation to throw in a quantity of refinery cinder,
which is an oxide of iron produced in the refining of cast iron, which is quickly
melted down and forms a bath of liquid cinder on the bottom. When pig iron is
made use of it is thrown on the top of the fire, with coke or charcoal thrown over
it, and so melted down. It has been found to be economical to run the molten iron
from the blast furnace into the refinery, thus saving the time and waste of melting
down the pig iron.
We
Instead of using only the refinery cinder as it is produced in the refinery furnace
we use a lesser quantity thereof, and introduce therewith a quantity of iron ores,
preferring such as are nearly pure oxides of iron, or purple ore may be used.
consider iron ore preferable, which contains manganese, and also such as may
contain chromium, titanium, or tungsten, also a quantity of lime, limestone, or
chalk (preferring to use the lime slaked, and the iron ores and other materials in
a state of coarse powder or small lumps), and occasionally quantities of common or
rock salt, alumina, chloride of calcium, or fluor spar. These materials are preferably
mixed together and then thrown on the fire, so that they may be melted down
prior to the melting down of the pig or cast iron or the running in of the molten
iron, but a portion of them may be thrown in subsequently on the fire.
The fluid iron, whether melted down on the refinery or molten iron run in from
a blast furnace or from a cupola, which may sometimes be conveniently used for
the fusion of the pig or cast iron, descends and falls into the bath of cinder already
produced, and takes its place underneath the cinder by its superior gravity, the
blowing proceeds; the twyers being inclined downwards the current of air is forced
through the cinder into the molten iron, and by the agitation and contact of the
molten iron with the cinder the phosphorus, sulphur, and silicon are rapidly taken
up by the cinder.
In the above operations we prefer to use blast with rather a higher pressure than
is usually used in the refinery, the quantities of these materials used being from
two to three cwt., more or less, to the ton of the iron treated. The proportions and
relative quantities of the above mentioned materials or bodies to be used must be
regulated by the analysis of the iron and the results of experience.
The proportion of lime and iron ore being generally about equal and the other
materials in smaller quantities.
When it is intended to use the metal so refined in auy pneumatic converter for
conversion to steel the blowing is only continued for so short a time as is found by
experience sufficient for the reduction of the phosphorus and sulphur, and the
molten metal may be run out into moulds to be again remelted in a cupola, but we
greatly prefer to run the same directly into a converter or into a ladle or receiver,
by which it can be transferred into a converter after well known methods, where

page_text: the operation of its conversion into steel may be completed in the usual manner,
and with the addition of spiegeleisen or ferro manganese.
It will be found, in order to secure a higher quality of steel, advantageous to mix
with this fluid refined metal a quantity of molten cast iron produced at the blast
furnace comparatively free from phosphorus and sulphur.
When this refined metal is intended to be used for conversion to steel in any
open hearth furnace we prefer to continue the blowing for a longer period, the exact
time required for the iron treated being found by experience, and the refined metal
when run out may be either run into moulds, as is usually done with refined metal,
and left to cool, and so requiring to be remelted when introduced into the open
hearth furnace, or it may be run into a ladle or receiver and so transferred to the
open hearth furnace, or it may be run direct into the open hearth furnace when
conveniently situated. By this method the operation of converting the same into
steel in an open hearth furnace is greatly facilitated, and the product of such
furnaces greatly increased.
In the open hearth furnace it will be found advantageous to use a proportion of
pig iron comparatively free from phosphorus and sulphur as produced at the blast
furnace, also scrap and wrought iron with additions of spiegeleisen or ferro
manganese in the usual manner.
When the refined metal is intended to be used for bar, plate, or other wrought
iron we may continue the blowing for a still longer period, and then let it out into
moulds to cool or direct into puddling furnaces, or it may be let into a ladle or
receiver and so be transferred to the puddling furnaces.
When convenient we may use the scoria described in the Specification of our
Patent No. 3010 of 1879, instead of the substances above enumerated, or in con-
junction therewith, and we may force any portion of the same with the blast into
the cinder and molten metal in the refinery furnace. The cinder which runs out
with or after the refined metal has in all cases to be removed or separated from the
refined metal as completely as may be practicable.
In carrying on the operation above described we prefer to make the hearth of the
refinery of the most refractory lime bricks, say, 7 inches square, placed upon their
edges, or of rough ground lime which has been submitted to great heat, selecting
such as is found most infusible.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as our aforesaid "Improve-
ments in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel,"-
First. Reducing or removing the phosphorus sulphur and silicon contained in
iron in the refinery furnace by the combined process and means substantially as
herein before described.
Second. The production of iron or steel practically free from phosphorus, sulphur,
and silicon from a phosphoretic metal by the combined refinery process and
converter or other secondary furnace process, substantially as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said David Joseph and Richard Joseph, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
DAVID JOSEPH.
(L.S.)
RICHARD JOSEPH (L.S.)