IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hays Wilson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL."
Scaled the 1st May 1880, and dated the 5th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hays Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1879.
JOHN HAYS WILSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL."
"IMPROVE
My Invention relates to the conversion of iron, being wrought iron or scrap
wrought iron, into that class of steel known as crucible steel or fine steel, suitable
for "tool making" or like purposes, or cutlery or like purposes.
According to my Invention I use wrought iron or scrap wrought iron only in the
manufacture and conversion; by preference, I use wrought scrap iron, such as horse
shoes, nails, factory cuttings, and like wrought scrap; or scrap rails or bars, or like
scrap. I melt or reduce the wrought iron or wrought iron scrap in any suitable
converter or crucible, and I then add nitrate of soda, or nitrate of potash, or
chlorate of soda, or chlorate of potash, or any of their chemical equivalents to such
wrought iron when in a molten state, the result being that the molten wrought
iron is converted into steel of the highest quality. The proportions of the nitrate
of soda, or nitrate of potash, or chlorate of soda, or chlorate of potash, or their
chemical equivalents, will slightly vary with the nature of the steel required to be
produced. I add a small quantity of borax as a flux.
It is well known to me, and I would here state that nitrate of soda, and nitrate
of potash, and chlorate of soda, and chlorate of potash, and their chemical equivalents,
have been used in the production of steel by application to molten purified, or
converted pig or cast iron. My Invention is distinguishable from such former
manufacture by my use of wrought iron or wrought scrap iron only, and I am thereby
enabled to produce by one process steel of the highest quality and class suitable for
immediate use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Hays Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June
1880.
JOHN HAYS WILSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to the conversion of iron, being wrought iron or scrap
wrought iron, into that class of steel known as crucible steel or fine steel, suitable
for tool making or like purposes, or cutlery or like purposes.
My Invention consists in using wrought iron, or scrap wrought iron only, in the
manufacture and conversion of iron into crucible steel; by preference, I use
wrought scrap iron, such as horse shoes, nails, factory cuttings, and like wrought
iron scrap, or scrap rails or bars or like scrap, According to my Invention I melt
or reduce the wrought iron, or wrought iron scrap, in any suitable converter or
crucible with any of the usual fluxes and carbonaceous matter, as now applied in
the manufacture of crucible stecl; and I then add nitrate of soda, or nitrate of
potash, or chlorate of soda, or chlorate of potash, or any of their chemical equivalents,
to such wrought iron when in a molten state, the result being that the molten
wrought iron is converted into steel of the highest quality. The proportions of the
nitrate of soda, or nitrate of potash, or chlorate of soda, or chlorate of potash, or
their chemical equivalents, will slightly vary according to the nature of the steel
required to be produced. I sometimes add a small quantity of borax, which acts
with the flux.
It is well known to me, and I would here state that nitrate of soda, and nitrate
of potash, and chlorate of soda, and chlorate of potash, have been used in the
production of steel prior to my Invention, but such applications have been limited to
molten purified, or converted pig or cast steel. My Invention is distinguishable
from such former manufacture by my use of wrought iron, or wrought scrap iron
only, for conversion into steel, and I am thereby enabled to produce by one process
steel of the highest quality and class ready for immediate use.
Having now sufficiently described my Invention to enable any one skilled in the
art of crucible steel making to understand the same, what I claim as my Invention,
and secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,―
In the manufacture of pot or crucible steel the use of wrought iron, or wrought
scrap iron only, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hays Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN HAYS (L.S.) WILSON.