IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND ALLOYS OF IRON
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cameron, of the Hematite Iron Works, Barrow-
in-Furness, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND ALLOYS OF IRON."
Sealed the 21st July 1863, and dated the 7th February 1863.
I, JOHN CAMERON, of the Hematite Iron Works, Barrow-in-Furness, in the
County of Lancaster, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the. Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND ALLOYS OF IRON," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of iron
and alloys of iron.
In manufacturing iron I take any ore of iron, either calcined or uncalcined,
according to the nature of the ore; I then ascertain by chemical analysis the
proportions of other materials present in the ore, and for every equivalent of
silica present I add to the ore one equivalent of lime, or I employ in a similar
proportion any other flux suitable for the purpose. In the next place, after
having ascertained by analysis the quantity of oxygen present in the ore, I add
one equivalent of carbon, to take up the oxygen of the ore; I also ascertain
the quantity of silicious matter present in the carbonaceous matter mixed with

page_text: the ore, and add sufficient flux to combine with it. The whole is then intimately
mixed and ground together by edge rolls or other suitable apparatus, adding
from time to time a little water, sufficient to render the mixture into a pasty
state, so that it may be cast into blocks. The blocks are partially dried either
by compression or heat, and are then taken to a cupola, reverberatory, blast, or
other suitable furnace, and subjected to heat till a pure metal is obtained. The
mixing and manipulation of the materials, as thus described, produces a purer
metal than is obtained by the processes heretofore employed, and effects a
saving of fuel. If I desire to alloy iron with another metal, I add the other
metal in the form of oxide ore or other compound to the above mixed
materials, mixing intimately, and allowing carbon and flux to act upon the
extraneous materials it may contain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Cameron in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CAMERON, of the Hematite Iron Works, Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Cameron, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cameron, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Cameron, my 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND ALLOYS OF IRON," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Cameron, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cameron, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of iron
and alloys of iron.
In manufacturing iron, I, in the first place, ascertain the nature or quality
of the ore or ores of iron to be operated on, and I proceed by chemical analysis
to estimate the quantity of each. constituent of the ore or ores, and in parti-
cular I ascertain the amount of sulphur which may be present, as this element
is well known to be a deleterious substance in the iron manufacture when it is
present in any considerable amount. If found to be present in any consider-
able amount in the ore or ores, calcination or roasting is resorted to as a
preliminary-operation, in order to oxidize the metal and eliminate the sulphur
in the form of sulphurous acid. I also estimate the quantity of oxygen in the
ore.or ores (whether crude or roasted) on which I am operating. Having
ascertained this, I add to the ore one equivalent of carbon in the form, by
preference, of coal, coke, or charcoal. I most commonly employ coke because
it is the cheapest. I also ascertain by analysis the amount of siliceous matter
present in the ore or ores under treatment, and I add to the ore or ores one
equivalent of flux for every equivalent of silica present in the ore or ores; the
flux which I most commonly employ is lime, but other flux used by iron
smelters may be substituted therefor. At the same time I add a sufficient
quantity of the flux to take up any siliceous matters that may be present in
the fuel employed for the reduction of the ore. I also-ascertain if the fuel con-
tains any sulphur, which is frequently the case; if so, I add to the mass of
mixed materials a little more lime or other flux to neutralize the sulphur by
combining, with it, so as to form a sulphuret of the metallic base of the flux
that will pass away in the cinder or in a gaseous form during the process.
The materials being properly proportioned, I mix them thoroughly, so as to
bring all the parts intimately together, in order that the reaction of one sub-
stance on another may be complete when subjected to the smelting process.
For this purpose I mix and grind the materials all together till such time as
the mixture is as perfect, as it can be rendered practically, by means of edge
rolls or other suitable apparatus. During the operation I add to the mass
from time to time a little water, so as to bring the whole into a pasty mass,
such that it may be cast into blocks; these blocks are conveniently made of
about one foot square and six inches thick. They are partially dried before
being put into the furnace for the final operation; the more completely tho

page_text: drying is effected the better. The blocks thus formed of the mixed materials
and partially dried are taken to a cupola, reverberatory, or blast furnace, and
subjected to heat till the metal is reduced. If the operation is carried on in a
blast furnace or cupola a sufficient proportion of fuel to obtain a brisk combus-
tion is employed in the usual way besides what is in the blocks; if the operation
is carried on in a reverberatory furnace, fuel is employed in the grate to heat
up the hearth of the furnace where the blocks are smelted, the blocks at the
same time containing their portion of fuel.
If I desire to make, in place of iron, an alloy of iron and some other metal,
I add to the mixed materials being formed into blocks the oxide or compound
of the other metal which I wish to alloy with the iron, and at the same time I
add as much flux and carbon additional as will facilitate its perfect reduction,
so that it may combine with the iron to form an alloy. Thus, when making an
alloy of iron and other metal, I do not require to reduce the separate metals to
the metallic state first and then melt them together; this is obviated by the
simultaneous reduction of the oxides or compounds of both metals, thus econo-.
mizing fuel and labour.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details described; but what I claim is, the manufacture of iron as
above described, by mixing with the iron ore the quantity of fuel and flux
necessary for its proper reduction, grinding and intimately mixing these
materials and forming them into blocks, which are then smelted.
I also claim the production of alloys of iron by the employment of ores of
two or more metals in the making of the blocks, the process being otherwise
similar to that above claimed for the manufacture of iron.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cameron, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN CAMERON. (L.S.)