IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, PATRICK
MOIR CRANE, of Yniscedwyn Iron Works, near Swansea, Ironmaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of April,
(One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven), in the tenth year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Patrick Moir Crane, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Patrick Moir Crane,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Patrick Moir
Crane, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Patrick Moir Crane, should
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in-
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chan-
cery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Patrick Moir Crane, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to that part of the manufacture of malleable iron
whereby what is called refinery iron, by melting pig iron in a refinery furnace,
is produced. The process of manufacturing refinery iron, and the furnaces
used for the same, are well understood, it will not therefore be necessary to
enter into any description thereof in this my Specification, my Invention
consisting in a mode of applying anthracite or stone coal in the process of
making refinery iron. I am aware that it has been attempted to employ
anthracite coal in the refinery furnace, but so far as I am informed on the
subject the means employed have not been successful, and this want of success
I have found to arise from the peculiar character of anthracite or stone coal,
which is liable to crack, decrepitate, and fly off into dust on sudden exposure
to heat. Now, my Invention consists of first subjecting anthracite or stone
coal, which is to be employed in the refinery furnace, to heat before it is intro-
duced into a refinery furnace. The preparatory heating of the anthracite may
be performed in any convenient manner, and it may be used either in an
ignited or highly heated state or in a cold state, being first ignited or highly
heated, after which preparation it will bear either the use of hot or cold blast,
and whichever be the blast used, I prefer to have the blast introduced by. two
or more small twyers in preference to one large one. In the manufacture of
pig iron by the aid of anthracite or stone coal in the blast furnace, it is found
that a very considerable quantity of highly heated anthracite or stone coal
comes from the furnace in lumps in that process, commonly called by the
workmen "throwing off;" and I either apply these lumps in a heated state to
the refinery furnace, or I preserve them in stock for future use, or I cause the
raw anthracite or stone coal to be ignited in masses, in pits, kilns, or ovens,
and when thoroughly ignited and heated, I remove the same by shovels or
otherwise at once to the refinery furnace, or I place it in stock for future use.
I conduct the refinery process in the ordinary manner as if charcoal or coke
was used. I would state, that although I have used all anthracite or stone
coal in the refinery furnace, I do not confine the Invention thereto, as the
manufacturer may employ other fuel therewith. As regards the use of
anthracite for fuel in the refinery furnace, I have found that a considerable
saving is effected in comparison with the "cokes" from bituminous coal, which
I have heretofore been in the habit of using; I likewise find less waste of
iron in the cinder, which is much lighter, more porous, and contains less iron

page_text: than that from a refinery worked with coke from bituminous coal. I am led
to believe that this Invention will prove highly useful, as it will permit of the
use of a fuel more nearly allied to vegetable charcoal than any other, and
which is getting very scarce in this country; and in those districts where
anthracite or stone coal can alone be obtained, manufacturers of iron will now
be able to refine their iron, which has not bitherto been the case.
And I would also state that other means than those mentioned may be
resorted to for igniting or highly heating anthracite or stone coal, so as to be
suitable for my Invention; for the manner of previously igniting or heating
anthracite or stone coal is not of itself my Invention, and the form of refinery
furnace employed may be varied.
But what I claim as my Invention is applying in the manufacture of
refinery iron anthracite or stone coal which has been ignited or raised to a
high temperature before introducing it into the refinery furnace.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Moir Crane, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.