Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Steel and Iron.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 27th July, 1889-Accepted. 31st Aug.. 1859
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Steel
and Iron.
I, HARRY JOHN SMITH Ph. D., of Coltness Iron Works, Newmains, in the county
of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the manufacture of
steel and iron, by the addition of new or improved compounds or substances for the
purpose of removing, or preventing the formation of, oxide of iron in the metal, and
which will do so without incurring the deleterious effects caused by Ferromanganese
or Spiegeleisen heretofore used for this purpose. The new compounds have also the
effect of removing carbon, and other impurities from the metal.
In the manufacture of soft steel and ingot-iron, either by the Bessemer or Siemens-
Martin process, or in fact by any oxidation process, such as the Basic-Bessemer
process, it has been found that the addition, at a certain point in the process, of
Manganese in the form of Spiegeleisen or Ferromanganese is indispensable. It is
customary to add the Manganese either to the Converter or Ladle in the Bessemer
process, or to the furnace or ladle in the Siemens-Martin and like processes; and if
this addition be omitted, the iron or steel is invariably "red-short" and unfit for
manipulation and rolling. The addition, however, of Manganese always entails the
combination of Manganese and Carbon with the soft steel or ingot-iron, and iron or
steel containing Manganese is found to be unsuitable for many purposes. In carrying
out my invention for dispensing with the addition of Manganese to the steel or
ingot-iron and for eliminating oxide of iron, and still have a workable product, I add
Soda-lime, Magnesia-lime, or Sodium-Hydrate, or carbonates or salts of Sodium or
Potassium in powder, or mixed as hereinafter noted, with lime or Magnesia or other
alkaline earths, (whichever is used) to the molten mass, either in the furnace, con-
verter, or ladle, but preferably the ladle. Or otherwise, Aluminié-soda or the
corresponding Potassium compounds or mixtures of Soda or Potash-lime, or Soda or
Potash Magnesia may be used, mixed with variable quantities of iron or other metals
in a state of fine division, for adding to the molten mass. The proportion of Soda-
lime which I have found to act well in steel manufactured according to the Siemens-
Martin or Bessemer process, and in which 16 per centum of carbon is left, is 21 lbs.
per 3 tons of metal, or 7 lbs. per ton; but this proportion would vary according to
the percentage of carbon desired to be left in the metal. The lining of the furnace
may either be acid or basic.
The Soda-lime and other mixtures mentioned are or may be prepared by evaporating
to dryness a solution of Sodium or Potassium oxide or their salts with Calcium, or
other oxide corresponding to the substances named, in various proportions, and
granulating at a high temperature (over 212° Fahrenheit). The iron or metallic
substances in a state of fine division is or are added to the thoroughly dried com-
pounds, and mixed with them.
I am aware that alkalies and other salts have been proposed and used for the
purification of steel and ingot-iron my invention, however, does not consist therein,
but in the use of Soda-lime, Magnesia-lime, and the other herein-described ingredients
or compounds as equivalents for and with the object of dispensing with the use of
Spiegeleisen and Ferromanganese, which have been found necessary in all processes
in the manufacture of soft steel and ingot-iron heretofore in use.
Dated this 5th day of November 1888.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Steel
and Iron.
I, HARRY JOHN SMITH Ph. D. of Coltness Iron Works, Newmains, in the County
of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
My Invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the manufacture of
steel and iron by the addition of new or improved compounds or substances for the
purpose of removing or preventing the formation of oxide of iron in the metai, without
incurring the deleterious effects caused by Ferro-Manganese or Spiegeleisen heretofore
used for this purpose. The new compounds have also the effect of removing carbon
and other impurities from the metal.
In the manufacture of soft steel and ingot iron either by the Bessemer or Siemens
Martin process or in fact by any oxidation process such as the Basic Bessemer
process, it has been found that the addition at a certain point in the process of
Manganese in the form of Spiegeleisen or Ferro-Manganese is indispensable. It is
customary to add the Manganese either to the converter or ladle in the Bessemer
process or to the furnace or ladle in the Siemens Martin and like processes and if this
addition be omitted the iron or steel becomes "red short" and unfit for manipulation
and rolling. The addition, however, of Manganese always entails the combination of
Manganese and carbon with the soit steel or ingot iron, and iron or steel containing
Manganese is found to be unsuitable for many purposes.
In the Complete Specification of the Letters Patents granted to me No. 13843
of 1888, I have described a process by which the use of Manganese can be avoided by
employing in lieu thereof Soda Lime or Potash Lime. The object of this my present
invention is to use other substances in a similar manner to that mentioned in the
said Specification as substitutes for the compounds containing Manganeso hereinbefore
referred to. These substances are the hydrates of sodium or potassium mixed with
magnesia or other Alkaline earths or oxides (other than lime) or the carbonates or
salts of Sodium or Potassium mixed with alkaline earths or oxides or Aluminic soda,
or the corresponding Potassium compounds.
:
The proportions of the above substances to be added to the molten mass are
similar to those mentioned in the Specification to my former Patent viz. Seven pounds
per ton of metal containing about decimal 16 percentum of carbon and as in the former
case the proportion may be varied according to the percentage of carbon then in the
metal and that desired to be left in it when finished. The preparation of the substances
is similar to the former case.
The above substances may be mixed with metallic oxides or iron or other metallic
substances in a state of division, and in case this is done the addition should be
made to the compounds when they are dry and the whole should then be mixed
together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.―
First. In the manufacture of steel and ingot iron the use of the substances heroin
mentioned substantially as and herein set forth.
Second. In the manufacture of steel and ingot iron, the use of iron or metallic
substances in a state of division together with the substances herein mentioned, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The improved processes for the manufacture of steel and ingot iron herein
set forth.
Dated this 26th July 1889.