IMPROVEMENTS IN METALS AND ALLOYS OR MIXTURES OF THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lewthwaite of Carlton Place, Halifax in the County
of York, Gentleman for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN METALS AND
ALLOYS OR MIXTURES OF THE SAME.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lewthwaite at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1883.
JOHN LEWTHWAITE of Carlton Place Halifax in the county of York Gentleman
IMPROVEMENTS IN METALS AND ALLOYS OR MIXTURES OF THE SAME
This invention relates to employing, using or adding in the process of smelting
metals etc or afterwards whilst in a molten state Titaniferous iron or steel sand
such as that largely found on the west coast of New Zealand and elsewhere
commonly known as New Zealand Iron Sand or Steel sand and sometimes as
Magnetic Iron or Steel sand which I employ in various proportions according to
the properties I wish to communicate to the metals or mixture of metals with
which I combine it.
My improvements consist in making improved metals or combinations of
metals by a process new, simple expeditious and inexpensive having properties
highly desirable in the mechanical, decorative and useful arts such as increased
density, durability hardness, toughness, capability of brilliancy of polish, beauty of
colour and subject in a lesser degree to ordinary rust, tarnish or oxidation than
those at present in use.
In making ordinary castings (from common pig iron etc) I throw into the metal
after it has been run from the furnace into the ladle 12 oz of sand to 1 cwt of
metal and then at once run the mixture into the mould's prepared for the castings
in the ordinary way. By this means I get finer and smoother castings capable of
a polish equal to steel while they are at the same time free to be manipulated by
the file or in the lathe. With a larger admixture of sand say from this to 5-15
or more per cent castings of various degrees of hardness are produced according to
the purpose for which they may be designed.

page_text: For precious metals, bronzes, bell metals, brasses etc etc a similar process suffices
to produce varieties and qualities not heretofore attained.
In some cases I introduce the sand into the crucible or furnace when the Gold,
Silver, Zinc, Iron Tin, lead or other metal or mixtures have become fluid stirring
it in for a few moments or long enough to mix it generally with the body or bulk
of the metal or metals and afterwards when sufficiently fluid it is run into moulds
or ingots
Again from the sand alone I produce the finest description of steel by a common
forge and bellows simply providing a cavity in that part of the hearth immediately
below or under the influence of the tuyere which cavity I fill with the sand and
build over it a charcoal fire so that when the blast is applied and the necessary
heat produced the upper portions of the sand become fused or smelted and by
stirring it with a small iron rod are wound or mixed into nodules of a few pounds
weight which are successively removed until most of the sand is converted when
more is introduced either by moving aside the fire or by a mechanical contrivance
for pushing or forcing a fresh supply of sand from a tube or tubes placed for the
purpose: Further by heating a piece of common wrought iron in an ordinary
forge to a welding heat and dipping the same into the sand quickly and at once
hammering it and repeating the process skilfully the iron is impregnated with the
sand and becomes at once steeled and capable of being tempered for picks chisels,
tools, shafting etc etc just in the same way as steel

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters' Patent filed by
the said John Lewthwaite in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th September
1883.
JOHN LEWTHWAITE of Carlton Place Halifax in the county of York Gentleman
IMPROVEMENTS IN METALS AND ALLOYS OR MIXTURES OF THE SAME
This invention relates to employing, using or adding in the process of smelting
metals etc or afterwards whilst in a molten state titaniferous iron or steel sand such
as that largely found on the west coast of the North island of New Zealand and
elsewhere commonly known as New Zealand Iron Sand or steel sand and sometimes
as magnetic iron or steel sand which I employ in various proportions according to
the properties I wish to communicate to the metals or mixtures of metals with
which I combine it.
The combination by this invention is new, simple expeditious and inexpensive
having properties highly desirable in the mechanical decorative and useful arts such
as increased density, durability hardness toughness, capability of brilliancy of
polish, beauty of colour etc and subject in a lesser degree to ordinary rust, tarnish
or oxidation than metals at present in use.
In using arsenic, manganese or other like metals or ores of metals I sometimes
grind or pulverize them and mix them with the sand to be thrown into the alloy
or alloys proposed to produced in such proportions as are desirable and sometimes
I first sprinkle in some of the sand then the metallic dust of manganese arsenic etc
and after that more of the sand as found necessary.
In making ordinary castings (from common pig iron etc) I sprinkle and well stir
into the metal after it has been run from the furnace into the ladle say 12 ounces
more or less of titaniferous sand to 1 hundredweight of metal and after skimming
off the dirt and scum I at once run the mixture into the moulds prepared for the
castings in the ordinary way. By this means I get finer and smoother castings
capable of a polish equal to steel while they are at the same time free to be.
manipulated by the file or in the lathe. With a larger admixture of sand, say up
to 20 or 25 per cent or more castings of various degrees of hardness are produced
according to the purposes for which they may be designed.
In other cases where I wish to mix in with the ordinary iron and sand, other
metals such as tin, copper, manganese etc I throw the same into the ladle
containing molten iron as run from the furnace (when only small proportions are
required) afterwards sprinkling and well stirring in the sand in suitable quantities
or proportions to unite or combine them etc. When large proportions of other
metals are required to be added to the molten iron or so much as would tend to
cool or stiffen the molten mass I introduce the copper, tin etc in a molten state the
same having previously been mixed with iron sand as described mixing and well
stirring it in with such further proportions of the sand as may suffice for the
object desired as to hardness, fineness etc.
In other cases when I wish to produce a metal for puddling purposes or to be
converted into bar, rod, sheet or other description of iron steel etc I stir into the
metal as it runs from the reducing furnace and in a well disseminated manner the
necessary quantity of sand or I allow the sand to run over or upon the outflow of
the molten iron as it leaves the furnace by means of a reservoir placed above the
outflow with a tap arrangement directed upon it which flow may be regulated to
deliver the sand in any desired quantity or proportion.
In using this method I also cause the metal and sand to be well intimated by
stirring if necessary before the united mass of metal and sand are allowed to run
into pig or other moulds preparatory to the puddling or other finishing process or
I mix in ladles as hereinbefore described.

page_text: For precious metals, bronzes, bell metals, brasses etc a similar process is sufficient
to produce varieties and qualities not hertofore attained.
In some cases I introduce the sand into the crucible or furnace when the Gold,
silver, zinc. iron, tin, lead or other metal or mixture have become fluid stirring it
in for a few moments or long enough to mix it generally with the body or bulk of
the metal or metals and afterwards whilst sufficiently fluid it is run into moulds or
ingots. Again; from the sand alone I produce the finest description of steel by a
common forge and bellows, simply providing a. cavity in that part of the hearth
immediately below or under the influence of the tuyere which cavity I fill with the
sand, and build over it a charcoal fire so that when the blast is applied and the
necessary heat produced the upper portions of the sand become fused or smelted
and by stirring with a small iron rod are wound, rolled or mixed into nodules of a
few pounds weight which are successively removed until most of the sand is
converted, more being introduced either by moving aside the fire or by a mechanical
contrivance for pushing or forcing a fresh supply of sand from a tube or tubes.
placed for the purpose.
b
Further, by heating a piece of common wrought iron in an ordinary.forge to a
welding heat and dipping the same into the sand quickly or sprinkling it upon
the heated part and at once hammering it and repeating the process skilfully the
iron is imprégnated with the sand and becomes at once steeled and capable of
being tempered for picks chisels, tools, shafting etc.
"
I am aware that titaniferous sand has been used in blast and other furnaces and
mixed with metals therein and amalgamated there with before said metals have
been tapped or run into moulds for pig or castings and I therefore make no claim
to the use of the sand in any such operation but I do claim.
First The improved method or process of admixing titaniferous steel sand with
molten metal as described for the purpose or purposes set forth.
Secondly I claim The sprinkling of steel sand upon fluid metal after leaving the
blast or other furnace as and for the purpose or purposes set forth
Thirdly I claim The treatment of metals in a fluid state after leaving the furnace
by adding steel sand thereto as described.
-
Fourthly I claim The coating of common wrought iron with a skin or covering of
steel by the means herein described
Fifthly I clain. To use any metallic or other ore conjointly with the sand in a
pulverised form for the purposes herein-described and either before, after, or
between the sprinkling of the titanic sand as and for the purposes herein
set forth
In witness whereof I the said John Lewthwaite have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty sixth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three