Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887.
I, ALEXANDER HENRY REED, of Suffolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill, Cannon
Street, in the county of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of the invention is to provide a practical and efficient compound, adapted
for the convenient use of blacksmiths and other metal workers, for the purposes of
welding toughening, and refining steel, and for correcting and restoring to proper
condition the quality and life of steel which has been burned or overheated; also to
provide a compound or composition of matter for the purposes stated, which will not
deteriorate and become practically useless by standing for a considerable time or under
the ordinary conditions of exposure. These objects are attained by a composition
formed of ingredients combined as hereinafter described and claimed.
For producing the improved welding compound, the following named substances
are employed as ingredients, and they are preferably combined in the proportions
specified, although some variation of proportion may be permitted without materially
changing the nature thereof, viz: Borax, one pound; salammoniac, one ounce (more
or less) Carbonate of iron, one half ounce; black oxide of manganese, one half
ounce.
In making the compound, the borax is first heated in an open pan or vessel over a
slow fire to drive off a considerable portion of the water of crystallization; the
salammoniac, (otherwise known as "hydrochloriate," "muriate," or "chloride" of
ammonia) is added, together with the iron carbonate and manganese oxide, and the
mass is mixed together and gently heated until properly dry. It is then cooled and
comminated or pulverized by grinding to a fine powdered form, in which condition it
is put up in packages ready for market and use.

page_text: When used, the powdered compound is sprinkled upon the surface of the steel to be
welded or forged, the metal having been previously heated to a red heat in a manner
similar to the processes heretofore employed.
Among the advantages of the improved compound, it may be mentioned that it
makes a weld that is solid or as good as the unwelded part of the bar, while the steel
can be worked and successfully welded at comparatively very low temperature or at a
heat slightly above "cherry red." It also preserves, toughens and refines the metal
with which it is brought into contact, while it requires but about one fourth the usual
quantity of the compound to effect the desired result, and in a much more efficient
manner as compared with the ordinarily employed welding fluxes heretofore in use.
The compound is also very useful for the purpose of welding cast steel, and also for
correcting and restoring to proper condition steel that has been overheated or burned,
and for giving renewed life and quality to drills, stone dressing tools, and similar tools
that have been injured in heating and tempering.
This composition, prepared as described can be kept for a long time without injury
or material deterioration from exposure under ordinary conditions of storage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I claim is:
1. A compound for the purposes of welding, toughening, and refining steel,
consisting of borax, salammoniac, carbonate of iron, and black oxide of manganese,
in combination, substantially as herein before set forth.
2. A compound for use in welding, refining or treating, steel, composed of borax,
salammoniac, carbonate of iron, and black oxide of manganese combined in the
proportions substantially as specified and prepared in the manner substantially as
described.