IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF. IRON INTO SEMI-STEEL OR STEEL
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James, of Ebbwvale, Manager, and Thomas
Jones, of Govilon, Forge and Mill Manager, both in the County
of Monmouth, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF. IRON INTO SEMI-STEEL OR STEEL,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James and
Thomas Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 8th April 1868.
We, JOHN JAMES, of Ebbwvale, Manager, and THOMAS JONES, of
Govilon, Forge and Mill Manager, both in the County of Monmouth,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention" for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON INTO SEMI-STEEL OR STEEL," to be as follows, that
is to say:-
This Invention consists in submitting wrought iron to the action of
gases such as hydrocarbons, carbonic oxides, ammonia, or other
nitrogenous compounds or cyanogen gas, 'under compression in any
suitable gas-tight-vessel or receiver to convert it into semi-steel or steel,
Price 8d.1

page_text: or for the purpose of case-hardening it, the degree of conversion or
hardness depending upon the amount of pressure applied and the
duration of the operation.
We carry out our Invention as follows:-The pile, bloom, faggot,
bar, slab, ball, rail, or other article is heated in any convenient manner
and is afterwards placed in the hot state in a vessel or receiver made to
close gas-tight of any suitable form, of cast iron by preference, and
provided with a fire-place for heating the same, and with suitable
arrangements for forcing in the gases. The charging door of the
receiver being closed the above stated gases for converting iron into
semi-steel or steel or for hardening iron and steel are then forced into
the receiver, and the pile or other article is allowed to remain therein
until the converting or hardening operation is complete; or the pile
or other article may be taken out, re-heated, and again placed in the
receiver to be similarly treated to complete the converting or hardening
operation. Instead of the said gases being forced into the receiver they
may be generated in the receiver itself (the pile or other article being
previously placed therein) from substances placed therein, that will
when heated produce such gases which are then compressed by any
suitable means, if the pressure resulting from their generation is not
sufficient.
We can also use under compression blast furnace waste gases known
to contain carbonic oxide, ammonia, and nitrogen; also other waste
gases known to contain the necessary elements for the conversion of
wrought iron into semi-steel or steel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John James and Thomas Jones in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
JAMES, of Ebbwvale, Manager, and THOMAS JONES, of Govilon,
Forge and Mill Manager, both in the County of Monmouth, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-

page_text: first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John James and Thomas Jones, Her
special licence that we, the said John James and Thomas Jones,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said John James and Thomas Jones, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 INTO SEMI-STEEL OR STEEL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John James and Thomas Jones,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John James and Thomas Jones,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our Invention consists in submitting wrought iron to the action of
gases (under pressure in any suitable gas-tight vessel or receiver) such
as hydrocarbons and carbonic oxide, either alone or in conjunction with
nitrogenous compounds, such for instance as cyanogen gas or ammonia,
or other gases containing nitrogen in admixture, preferring however
the former, to convert it into semi-steel or steel, or for the purpose of
case-hardening it.
We will now proceed to describe the best means with which we are
acquainted for carrying our Invention into effect:-The pile, bloom,
bar, faggot, slab, ball, rail, or other article of wrought iron is heated in
any convenient manner and is afterwards placed in the hot state in a
vessel or receiver made to close gas-tight, of any suitable form (by
preference of cast iron) and provided with a fire-place for heating the
same, and with suitable arrangements for forcing in the gases previously
generated in suitable retorts. We have found in practice that when it
is desired to expose the wrought iron to the action of the gases for only

page_text: a short time the fire-place for heating the receiver may, for economy,
be dispensed with, for instance, when a very mild or semi-steel only is
required, or when very thin plates of iron or bars are operated 'upon.
The charging door of the receiver' being closed any of the above stated
gases either alone or in conjunction with any of the said nitrogenous
compounds for converting wrought iron into semi-steel- or steel, or for
hardening wrought iron or steel, are then forced into the receiver by
means of a pump placed between the gas holder and the receiver, so as to
exhaust the gases from the holder and force them into the receiver: until
the desired pressure is attained and the pile or other article of wrought
iron is converted. When a-high and sudden pressure is required; as for
instance with large masses of wrought iron, or when it is desired: to
produce a very hard steel, the before-mentioned pump is so arranged as
to force the gases into an accumulator, and they are thence suddenly
compressed into the receiver by hydraulic or other power. If required
the pile or other article may be taken out, re-heated, and again placed
in the receiver to be similarly treated; also the pile or other article may
after treatment in the receiver be suddenly cooled in water and the
softening effect consequent on slow cooling be avoided; or the pile or other
article may be plunged in a bath 'containing salts having a hardening
effect, as practiced with ordinary steel when it is intended to subject
the pile, bloom, or other article to the action of nitrogen in com-
bination or otherwise; in addition to carbonaceous gases, horn, salts of
ammonia, or other substances which when heated are known to evolve
nitrogen either alone or in combination (preferably the latter) are placed
in the receiver previous to the admission of the heated wrought iron or
afterwards if convenient. Gases containing carbon may be partially or
wholly generated in the receiver either alone or in conjunction' with
substances evolving nitrogenous compounds, and for this purpose we use
(if carbonic oxide be required) a mixture of charcoal and finely
powdered iron ore; or other substances containing peroxide of iron,
carbonate of lime, or common chalk may be used in lieu of the ore;
also powdered coke may be economically substituted for charcoal. For
the rapid evolution of gas nitrates of potash or soda mixed with excess
of charcoal may be placed in the receiver or in a small chamber
connected by means of a short pipe with the receiver, the mixture when
heated evolving both: carbonic oxide and carbonic acid.
For the rapid generation of hydrocarbon gases a certain proportion of
netroleum or "coal "oil may. after closing the receiver. be poured in by

page_text: means of a double stop-cock, the upper one to be opened for the
admission of the oil into the pipe connecting both, then being closed the
lower stop-cock is opened and the oil allowed to flow into the receiver
over the heated iron.
In all cases the receiver is provided with a well fitted properly
weighted safety valve.
We can also use under compression blast furnace waste gases
containing carbonic oxide, ammonia, and nitrogen, also other waste
gases containing the necessary elements for the conversion of wrought
iron into semi-steel or steel.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details herein laid down, as the same
may be varied without departing from our Invention, neither do we
claim the passing of a current of gas or gases having a carbonising and
nitrogenising effect on wrought iron, such methods being well known;
but what we do claim is,-
1stly. The application of carbonizing and nitrogenising gases under
pressure to wrought iron in a closed gas-tight receiver, the said gases
being either formed in a separate generator, thence forced into the
receiver either through an accumulator or otherwise, or the gases may
be formed in the receiver itself either partially or wholly, for the
purposes and substantially in the manner herein-before described.
2ndly. The use of waste blast furnace gases and other waste gases
containing the necessary elements for the conversion of wrought iron
into semi-steel or steel.
In witness whereof, we, the said John James and Thomas Jones,
have hereto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
JOHN JAMES. (L.S.)
THO. JONES. (L.s.)