IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF FERRO-PHOSPHOROUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Carl Glaser, of 92, Lindenstrasse, Berlin, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Engineer and Patent Agent, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF
FERRO-PHOSPHOROUS." A communication from the Hoerder Bergwerks und
Huetten-verein, of Hoerde, Westphalia, Prussia.
Sealed the 23rd April 1880, and dated the 4th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Carl Glaser at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1879.
FRIEDRICH CARL GLASER, of 92, Lindenstrasse, Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF FERRO-PHOSPHOROUS." A communication
from the Hoerder Bergwerks und Huetten-verein, of Hoerde, Westphalia, Prussia.
We have found that in the production of fluid steel and fluid iron in the
Bessemer" converter, phosphorous is excellently well adapted to replace as com-
bustible the hitherto requisite silicium of the crude iron, and that a crude irou
containing much phosphorous and as little silicium as possible is the most preferable
raw material for the production of good quality fluid steel and fluid iron.
"
A better product may be produced with greater certainty from crude iron
containing much phosphorous, than from a crude iron in which the contents of
phosphorous are less, as for example, when it amounts to only 0.2 per cent.
and less.
Now as many smelting districts do not furnish in sufficient quantity such mineral
as will give in the smelting the desired large quantity of phosphorous in the crude
iron, it is often judicious on the ground of economy of transport, for insuring the
certainty of the steel preparing and other processes to mix a crude iron containing
little phosphorous with iron containing as much phosphorous as possible in such
manner as to obtain as a result the desired phosphoric contents.
Ferro-phosphorous is best adapted for this purpose, it being a composition in
which to a certain extent the phosphorous is present, similarly to the silicium in
ferro-silicium and to the manganese in ferro-manganese.
"

page_text: Ferro-phosphorous is not like an ordinary crude iron containing phosphorous,
as such as been previously unintentionally produced from mineral containing
phosphorous where no other mineral is to be had, but in the case of ferro-
phosphorous the amount of phosphorous is much higher; in the contrary case to
that of the before mentioned crude iron, it is produced by reason of the phosphorous
and not of the iron. By the name ferro-phosphorous I intend to denote an iron
composition which contains 4 per cent. and upwards of phosphorous. It is of
course understood that the same increases in value the higher its contents of
phosphorous; it is practicable without particular difficulty to bring the contents
of phosphorous up to 50%, and higher; I am aware that combinations of the kind
are mentioned in literature by reason of experiments in the laboratory, but as
opposed to this, such a product has not been produced in large quantities for
industrial purposes.
Ferro-phosphorous may be produced in crucibles, high furnaces, and reverberatory
furnaces of all kinds; it appears at present to be the simplest plan to employ the
high furnace or smelting furnace.
The production of ferro-phosphorous may be effected by smelting together
crude iron or iron and steel scrap; or mixtures of these metals with phosphoric
combinations artistically effected or met with in a natural state; also by means of
smelting phosphoric combinations of all kinds according to circumstances, either
alone or in combination with iron ores, slags, etcetera, in any suitable furnace or
apparatus.
In addition to the before mentioned ferro-phosphorous may also be used for
other purposes, as for example, for obtaining thin fluid metal pourings, hard
castings, and for making phosphor-bronze from other phosphor-metals, etcetera.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Friedrich Carl Glaser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
May 1880.
"
FRIEDRICH CARL GLASER, of 92, Lindenstrasse, Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Engineer and Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF FERRO-PHOSPHOROUS." A communication
from the Hoerder Bergwerks und Huetten verein, of Hoerde, Westphalia, Prussia.
I have found that in the production of ingot-steel and ingot-iron in the
"Bessemer converter in lime lined vessels with lime additions, phosphorous is
excellently well adapted to replace as combustible the hitherto requisite silicium of
the crude iron, and that a crude iron containing much phosphorous and as little
silicium as possible is the best raw material for the production of good quality
ingot-steel and ingot-iron.
"
A better product may be produced with greater certainty from crude iron
containing much phosphorous, say from 1 to 25 per cent., than from a crude iron in
which the contents of phosphorous are less, as for example, when it amounts to
only 0.2 per cent., and less.
Now as many iron districts do not furnish in sufficient quantity such mineral as
will give in the smelting the desired large quantity of phosphorous in the pig iron,
I find it is often advantageous on the ground of economy of transport, for ensuring
the certainty of the production of good steel and hot working to mix a pig iron
containing little phosphorous with iron containing as much phosphorous as possible,
in such manner as to obtain as a result a per centage of phosphorous in the metal
to be blown, of say 1 to 2.5 per cent. The pig rich in phosphorous may be either
melted separately and added to the pig iron poor in phosphorous in the "Bessemer
converter, or in the pig ladle, or the pig poor in phosphorous and the phosphoric
iron may be melted together in a cupola.
"
Ferro-phosphorous is the compound best adapted for this purpose, it being a
material in which to a certain extent the phosphorous is present similarly to the
silicium in ferro-silicium, and to the manganese in ferro-manganese.
Ferro-phosphorus is not like an ordinary pig iron containing 1 to 3 per cent. of
phosphorous, such as has been unintentionally produced from ores containing
phosphorous, where no other mineral was to be had; in the case of ferro-
phosphorous the amount of phosphorous is much higher, and as is not the case of
the aforesaid pig iron, it is produced on account of the phosphorous and not of
the iron.
By the name ferro-phosphorous I intend to denote an iron compound containing
4 per cent. and upwards of phosphorous. It will be understood that the higher the
content of phosphorous the greater its value; and it is practicable without very
great difficulty to bring the contents of phosphorous up to 50% and higher.
Ferro-phosphorous may be produced in blast furnaces and reverberatory furnaces
of all kinds; I now give preference as the simplest plan to employ the blast furnace
or cupola furnace.
When it is desired to produce ferro-phosphorous in the blast furnace, the higher
the content of phosphorous required, the more ore containing a very low per
centage of iron with the highest possible quantity of phosphoric acid must be used
in the charge. For this purpose poor phosphates of lime and the slag very rich in
phosphorous, which results from the "Thomas" process in the manufacture of steel
are suitable.
The production of ferro-phosphorous in the blast furnace is most readily effected
when the burden is arranged to give very acid or silicious slag. It is desirable the
slag should not be more basic than a singulo-silicate.
The temperature of the blast in the blast furnace must be kept as high as
possible, say over 1,100° "Fahrenheit," in order that the reduction of the
phosphoric acid may be effected as perfectly as possible.

page_text: In order to make the per centage of phosphorous as high as possible, phosphoric
compounds or combinations which contain only a small amount of iron oxide, as
for example, poor phosphate of lime or apatite with slag from the "Thomas"
process, and a corresponding quantity of acid flux (containing alumina and silica)
may also be mixed in the blast furnace, and previously made ferro-phosphorous rich
in phosphorous charged with it. In this manner ferro-phosphorous with a very
high per centage of phosphorous may be readily produced.
When the process for the production of ferro-phosphorous is carried out in a
cupola furnace, this is most suitably done when pig iron containing phosphorous
and artificial or natural phosphoric compounds are sinelted together. In this case
also care must be taken to employ a clayey and silicious flux, as for instance,
ordinary "Bessemer" slag, so that an acid slag results which is favourable to the
reduction of the phosphoric acid.
Should the ferro-phosphorous be produced in a reverberatory furnace which is not
generally so economical, the process is best effected by smelting together crude iron
containing phosphorous or iron and steel scrap with phosphoric compounds, either
artificially made or met with in a natural state, especially the aforesaid so called
Thomas and Gilchrist" slag which contains phosphorous and is relatively poor in
iron, or phosphates of lime with the use of an acid slag and employing a reducing
flame.
66
It cannot of course be pretended that the production of ferro-phosphorous is
already known, because pig iron containing phosphorous has been produced in
blast furnaces, inasmuch, as hitherto it has not been sought to produce ferro-
phosphorous in blast or other kind of furnaces for manufacturing purposes; and
even in cases where crude iron containing even two per cent. of phosphorous has
been already produced, it has not been intentionally obtained with a determined
content of phosphorous, but the phosphorous has been accepted as an undesired
accompaniment in the matter, there being no known means of removing it;
I however intentionally obtain a high per centage of phosphorous in the iron.
I am aware that phosphides of iron are mentioned in literature as having been
produced in small quantities by experiments in the laboratory, but such a product as
ferro-phosphorous has not been ever (if at all) produced in industrial quantities, nor
at all for industrial purposes, nor particularly used for the manufacture of steel.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention communicated
to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I would
have it understood that I lay no claim to the production of ferro-phosphorous by
bringing phosphorous into combination with red hot iron, or reducing pure phos-
phate of peroxide of iron, but that I claim the manufacture of ferro-phosphorous
in the manner set forth in cupolas or blast furnaces, and reverberatory furnaces;
further, I claim for the purposes herein before mentioned the use of ferro-
phosphorous as an addition to pig-iron poor in phosphorous, in order to make a
metal very suitable for the so called "Thomas and Gilchrist, Bessemer" process, or
to prevent cold charges in the said "Bessemer" process by adding it to less phosphoric
metal. I also use the same as an addition to pig iron for the production of thin
fluid and hard castings, as for example, in the manufacture of fire-arms for the
production of phosphor-bronze and other phosphoric metals.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich Carl Glaser, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
F. C. GLASER. (LS.)