IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE CONDUCTING OF OTHER METALLURGICAL PROCESSES
Year: 1873

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO
THE CONDUCTING OF OTHER METALLURGICAL PROCESSES."-A communi.
ation from abroad by Haydn Mozart Baker, of Williamsburgh,
County of King's, State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th November 1873.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE
CONDUCTING OF OTHER METALLURGICAL PROCESSES," a communication to me
from abroad by Haydn Mozart Baker, of Williamsburgh, County of

page_text: King's, State of New York, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to rapidly and effectually convert iron
ore directly into steel or wrought or cast iron, or to convert cast iron
into wrought iron or steel, as well as to conduct other metallurgical
processes; and this object is attained by the application of superheated
volatile agents under pressure and of a character adapted to the ore or
metal to be reduced and converted; also by the application of non-
volatile agents, the apparatus wherewith the processes are carried into
effect constituting an especial feature of the Invention.
The following are the essential features of the said Invention, viz*. :—
First. In the process of converting cast iron into steel, the decarbon-
izing the molten iron in a furnace by causing the said molten iron to fall
across the path of superheated volatile decarbonizing agents.
Second. In the conversion of cast iron into steel, just partly decar-
bonizing the metal as it falls into a reservoir or crucible by the action of
volatile decarbonizing agents, and then admitting to the molten mass in
the reservoir non-volatile agents.
Third. In the reduction of ores and converting the same into iron or
steel, causing volatile deoxydizing agents to impinge against the ore
in a direction contrary to that in which the metal must flow from the
same.
Fourth. In the manufacture of wrought iron from cast iron, directing
superheated volatile decarbonizing agents across the puddling chamber
to the charge of iron.
Fifth. In a furnace for reducing ores the employment of a charge of
bituminous coal so situated that the gases therefrom shall impinge
against a charge of ore contained in an inclined bed, down which the
metal must pass into a reservoir in a direction contrary to the direction
of the gases.
Sixth. The combination with a furnace of a crucible having its base
adapted to the inclined or rounded bed of the said furnace.
Seventh. The combination of the said crucible contained within the
furnace with a shelf forming part of the furnace and projecting into an
opening in the crucible.
2
3
3

page_text: Eighth. In combination with the said shelf and with the opening in
the crucible into which it projects a passage in or beneath the said
shelf, forming a communication between the inlet and the interior of the
said crucible.
Ninth. The combination with the crucible of a detachable shelf
adapted to the mouth or opening of the said crucible.
Tenth. The forming the said crucible with an opening at the rear for
the entrance of the molten metal therein, and in front with a mouth for
the detachable shelf, an orifice or spy hole, and a tapping hole.
Eleventh. The combination of the said crucible with the main
chamber of the furnace and with lateral flues.
Twelfth. The combination of the said crucible with a furnace door
covering the entire front of the crucible.
Thirteenth. The use of a charging shelf or bed arranged in front of
the outlet flue.
Although the furnace has been referred to as applied to the reduction
of iron, and the conversion of cast iron into steel or wrought iron, it
should be understood that the same furnace and crucible may be used
for the conducting of other metallurgical processes.
In ordinary ores the superheated volatile agents are sometimes dis-
pensed with, and the detachable shelf charged with bituminous coal, the
gases from which passing through the rear opening of the crucible are
necessarily brought into intimate contact with the charge of ore on the
ore bed or charging shelf, and induce deoxydization.
25 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
30 Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein éxpressed, 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 STEEL AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE CONDUCTING OF
OTHER METALLURGICAL PROCESSES," a communication to me from abroad by
Haydn Mozart Baker, of Williamsburgh, County of King's, State of New
York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
The object of this Invention is to rapidly and effectually convert iron
ore directly into steel or wrought or cast iron, or to convert cast iron
into wrought iron or steel, as well as to conduct other metallurgical
processes, and this object is attained by the application of superheated
volatile agents under pressure and of a character adapted to the ore or
metal to be reduced and converted; also by the application of non-
volatile agents, the apparatus wherewith the processes are carried into
effect constituting an especial feature of the Invention.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose

page_text: shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the furnace and retort in
which it is preferred to carry the Invention into effect; Figure 2, a plan
view; and Figure 3, a vertical section on the line 1, 2, (Figure 1).
A is the fire-place, the products of combustion from which pass
through flues a, a, in the opposite side walls of the furnace into the
chamber B (see Figure 3), and thence through a passage b at the rear of
the said chamber to the exit flue c. Communicating with the chimney D.
is the termination of an inlet passage, into which the volatile agents
referred to hereafter are introduced under more or less pressure, the said
agents becoming thoroughly superheated in traversing this passage
before they reach its termination D. G is the crucible supported on
the arched roof A¹ of the fire-place. This crucible is provided in front
with a mouth d, to which is fitted a slab e, and from the latter projects
a detachable shelf f into the interior of the crucible, in front of which
there is also a tapping hole
hereafter.
and an orifice i for a purpose explained
In the rear of the crucible there is an opening ;, through which
projects the end of a shelf H into the interior of the crucible, the
said shelf forming a continuation of the bed H³, on to which the
charge of metal or ore is fed from the charging bed M immediately
above the flue b. A passage x in or beneath the shelf H forms a
communication between the inlet D and the interior of the crucible G.
pig iron has to be
The charge of iron
its full heat, and as
Let it be supposed in the first instance that
converted into steel in the above-described furnace.
is deposited on the shelf H¹ while the furnace is at
soon as the charge of iron approaches a melting stage a superheated
volatile oxydizing agent is introduced under pressure into the inlet D.
This agent, which may consist of steam, air, or the vapor of nitric acid,
is projected through the passage x in the shelf H and into the crucible,
but the front of the latter being closed the agent will return from
the crucible, and in seeking the flue b must impinge against the
metal as it gradually flows from the charge on the bed H¹ and down the
shelf into the interior of the crucible, and as the metal flows over
the edge of the shelf it must be crossed by the oxydizing agent, hence

page_text: the latter must be brought into intimate contact with the metal both
as the latter descends the shelf and as it flows in broken streams
therefrom into the crucible.
When the charge of pig iron has been exhausted, and is in a molten
mass in the crucible, the volatile oxydizing agent may by an increase of
pressure be projected from the passage x directly on to the molten mass
in the crucible, thereby continuing the oxydizing process, but the
pressure of slag on the surface of the mass tends to obstruct this
forcible action of the agent, hence it is preferred to close the pipes
communicating with the inlet D, and thus discontinue the application of
volatile agents, and resort to that of non-volatile agents in the manner
described, as follows:―
Prior to the introduction of the charge of pig iron on the bed H¹a
mass of oxide of iron, of oxygen, salts of iron, such as spiegel eisen, or
hematite, carbonate of iron, or chromate of iron, or any combination of
two or more of these has been placed on the shelff, and while the above
process of applying volatile agents was continued, this non-volatile agent
had become heated to a temperature which rendered it most available
for application to the mass in the crucible. The introduction of this
non-volatile agent should be gradual, and in quantities which the
character of the molten mass may suggest, an instrument y, Figure 1,
the handle of which projects through the slab e, being used to push the
material from time to time from the shelf f. The condition of the metal
in the crucible may be ascertained by looking into the opening /, or by
the aid of the well-known spectroscope, or by the examination of
specimens withdrawn through the said opening, the results of these
examinations determining the propriety of continuing or discontinuing
of either of the above operations.
If wrought iron of a superior quality has to be obtained from the
charge of pig iron precisely the same mode of proceeding which I have
described is resorted to, the oxydizing process however being continued
for a greater length of time, and the contents of the crucible being
subjected to the usual pudling process by a suitable instrument intro-
duced into the mouth d.
If iron ore has to be converted directly into steel it is charged on to
the bed H¹ with an appropriate flux, and when the ore becomes heated
volatile deoxydizing agents are projected through the passage x under

page_text: such light pressure that they will turn abruptly, and, following the
course of the draught, be brought into intimate contact with the chargo
of ore. The tendency of these volatile deoxydizing agents, which in
this instance should be hydrocarbons or oxygenated or nitrogenized
hydrocarbons, such as petroleum, coal tar, dead oil, rosin oils, which are
distilled by superheating, is to furnish carbon and hydrogen to the
oxygen of the ore, in other words.the agents are volatile deoxydizers.
The interior of the furnace having approached the melting point of
steel the charge will become semi-fluid, when the further admission of
the volatile deoxydizing agent should be discontinued, and the metal will
find its way into the crucible, from whence the steel may be withdrawn
by tapping. Should the steel however in the crucible be too highly
carbonized, non-volatile oxydizing agents should be added from the
shelf f.
It may be remarked here that the metal on the bed H just as it
assumes a semi-fluid mass is really wrought iron, and may be puddled
on the bed by appropriate instruments, but if it is desired to produce
wrought iron direct from the ore the precise construction of the furnace
above described should not be adhered to, but that shown in the diagram,
Figure 4, be adopted, where p represents the inclined shelf for receiving
the charge q on the bed of the furnace, and a hollow bridge through
which pass the volatile agents.
It will be observed that one of the features of the Invention is carried
out in this structure, that is, the directing of superheated volatile
deoxydizing agents on to the ore placed on a shelf or bed down which
the metal can flow into the body of the furnace. In making pig iron
from ore all that is necessary is to force the volatile deoxydizing agents
under greater pressure and consequently in greater quantities through
the passage x.
An important feature of this Invention is the manner of arranging the
crucible within the furnace. The base of the crucible is adapted to the
inclined or curved top of the roof A¹ of the fire-place, so that after the
removal of a few bricks which retain the crucible in its place the latter
can be easily withdrawn to make way for a new crucible, without dis-
turbing either the furnace or the shelf H.
Should there be a slight leak of the crucible no serious loss can take
place, as the metal will be retained within the furnace below the outlet
'

page_text: of the flues a, a, (see Figure 3). The upper end of a door I is hinged to
the front of the furnace, and is so arranged as to enclose the front of the
crucible, but it is not necessary to close this door excepting when the
furnace has to be cooled for repairing and other purposes, in which case
the closing of the door will prevent such rapid cooling of the crucible as
might tend to crack it.
Although the furnace has been described as applied to the reduction of
iron, and the conversion of cast iron into steel or wrought iron, it should
be understood that the same furnace and crucible may be used for the
conducting of other metalurgical processes.
In ordinary ores the superheated volatile agents are sometimes
dispensed with, and the detachable shelff charged with bituminous
coal, the gases from which passing through the rear opening ; of the
crucible are necessarily brought into intimate contact with the charge
of ore on the bed H and induce deoxydization.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. In the process of converting cast iron into steel, the mode of
decarbonizing the molten iron in a furnace by causing the said molten
iron to fall across the path of superheated volatile decarbonizing agents,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. In the conversion of cast iron into steel, just partly decar-
bonizing the metal as it falls into a reservoir or crucible by the action
of volatile decarbonizing agents, and then admitting to the molten
mass in the reservoir non-volatile agents, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. In the reduction of ores and converting the same into iron or
steel, causing volatile deoxydizing agents to impinge against the ore in a
direction contrary to that in which the metal must flow from the same,
substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. In the manufacture of wrought iron from cast iron, directing
superheated volatile decarbonizing agents across the puddling chamber
to the charge of iron, substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: Fifth. In a furnace for reducing ores the employment of a charge of
bituminous coal so situated that the gases therefrom shall impinge
against a charge of ore contained in an inclined bed down which
the metal must pass into a reservoir in a direction contrary to the
direction of the gases, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described.
Sixth. The combination with a furnace of a crucible having its base
adapted to the inclined or rounded bed of the said furnace, substantially
as herein-before described.
Seventh. The combination of crucible G contained within the furnace
with a shelf H forming part of the furnace and projecting into an
opening in the crucible, substantially as and for the purpose herein.
before described.
Eighth. In combination with the shelf H and with the opening in the
crucible into which it projects, the passage in or beneath the said shelf,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Ninth. The combination with the crucible G of a detachable shelf f
adapted to the mouth or opening d of the crucible, substantially for the
purpose herein-before described.
Tenth. The within-described crucible, having an opening at the rear,
and in fronth a mouth d, orifice i, and tapping hole 7, substantially as
and for the purpose herein-before described.
Eleventh. The combination of the crucible G with the main chamber B
of the furnace and flues a, a, substantially as described.
Twelfth. The combination of the crucible G with the door I of the
furnace, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Thirteenth. The use of a charging shelf H³ arranged relatively to the
flue b, substantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day
of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.