IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I PAUL BOTCHAROFF of Devitchie Polé Savinsky Percoulok, House Zolotareff,
Moscow in the Empire of Russia, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a process for converting iron and manufactured iron
into steel containing any required proportion of carbon, and also for converting
steel and manufactured steel containing a small proportion of carbon into steel
containing a larger proportion of carbon.
My process of converting iron into steel consists in submitting pieces of iron or
iron articles in a closed chamber to the action of a high temperature and of gaseous
hydro-carbons, such as gasos from naphtha, coal, charcoal, etc, whereupon the iron
will be steelified to a greater or less depth, according to the length of time and the
degree of heat to which it is submitted and the steel will contain a definite pro-
portion of dissolved carbon.
In heating the piece of iron in a hydro-carbonic atmosphere, I have discovered
that the reaction commences at red heat; at lower temperatures the iron does not
perceptibly act on the hydro-carbons and does not itself undergo any change. At
white heat iron becomes entirely charged with carbon, and cast iron is produced
which, having a melting point lower than pig iron, is consequently melted during
the process.
My numerous experiments of converting iron into steel by the above described
process have disclosed the very interesting fact that iron at a white heat can
entirely decompose the hydro-carbons, taking up their carbon and setting free the
hydrogen.
It is remarkable that the combination of carbon with iron by the method dis-
covered by me is followed by no change in the form of the latter so that articles of
iron perfectly polished and having sharp edges, retain their original shape and the
edges remain sharp as before heating.
Iron tools, such as drills, screws, etc, converted by this process into steel do not
contract during the heating and will cut iron, cast iron, and steel articles quite as
effectually as thoso made of cast steel.

page_text: My process of converting iron into steel possesses the following advantages,
viz :—
(1.) It enables absolute control to be had over the process of steel manufacture
by regulating the current of hydro-carbons and the temperature.
(2.) Large as well as small pieces of iron may be converted into steel.
(3.) Steel may be produced with a definite proportion of dissolved carbon.
(4.) Iron articles may be steelified to a given depth without altering the outward
form of the articles.
(5.) Articles made of iron may be wholly converted into steel.
This process is applicable also to the Bessemer system by turning on a blast
of a given quantity of a certain hydro-carbonic gas instead of adding white iron
containing a proportion of sulphur and other injurious substances.
(7.) My process is particularly valuable for the manufacture of projectiles intended
for penetrating steel plates and which require strength in the centre and a par-
ticular hardness at the surface. To meet these requirements my Invention offers
great facilities.
(8.) Steel made by my process is considerably cheaper than that produced by
any other systems.

page_text: I PAUL BOTCHAROFF of Devitchie Polé Savinsky Pereoulok, house Zolotoreff,
Moscow in the Empire of Russia, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL " and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This Invention relates to a process for converting iron and manufactured iron
into steel containing any required proportion of carbon, and also for converting
steel and manufactured steel containing a small proportion of carbon into steel
containing a larger proportion of carbon.
My process of converting iron into steel consists in submitting pieces of iron, or
iron articles in a closed chamber at a high temperature to the action of gaseous
hydrocarbons, such as gases from naphtha and its products, coal, wood etc. where-
upon the iron will be steelified to a greater or less depth, according to the length
of time, and the steel will contain a definite proportion of dissolved carbon
according to the degree of heat to which it is submitted.
In heating the piece of iron in a hydro-carbonic atmosphere, I have discovered
that the reaction commences at red heat; at lower temperatures the iron does not
preceptibly act on the hydro-carbons and does not itself undergo any change. At
white heat iron becomes entirely charged with carbon, and white cast iron
(spiegeleisen) is produced which, having a melting point lower than wrought iron
is consequently melted during the process.
My numerous experiments of converting iron into steel by the above described
process have disclosed the very interesting fact that iron at a white heat can
entirely decompose the hydro-carbons taking up their carbon and setting free the
bydrogen.
It is remarkable that the combination of carbon with iron by the method dis-
covered by me is followed by no change in the form of the latter so that articles
of iron perfectly polished, and having sharp edges, retain their original shape and
the edges remain sharp as before heating.
Iron tools, such as twist drills, taps etc. converted by the process into steel do
not bend, and crack during the heating and when hardened as usual will cut iron,
cast iron and steel articles quite as effectually as those made of cast steel.
My process of converting iron into steel possesses the following advantages viz:
(1.) It enables absolute control to be had over the process of steel manufacture
by regulating the current of the hydro-carbons and the temperature.
(2.) Large as well as small pieces of iron may be converted into steel.
(3.) Steel may be produced with a definite proportion of dissolved carbon.
(4.) Iron articles may be steclified to a given depth without altering the outward
form of the articles.
(5.) Articles made of iron may be wholly converted into steel.
(6.) This process is applicable also to the Bessemer system by turning on a blast
of a given quantity of a certain hydro-carbonic gas instead of adding white cast
iron fanieneleison) containin
ronation

page_text: (7.) My process is particularly valuable for the manufacture of projectiles
intended for penetrating steel plates and which require strength in the centre and
a particular hardness at the surface. To meet these requirements my invention
offers great facilities.
(8.) Steel made by my process is considerably cheaper than that produced by any
other systems.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what inanner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The herein described process of converting iron and manufactured iron into
steel containing any required proportion of carbon, and of converting steel and
manufactured steel containing a small proportion of carbon into steel containing
a larger proportion of carbon, which process consists in submitting the pieces of
iron or steel or iron or steel articles to a bright red or greater heat in an atmosphere
of gaseous hydrocarbons, substantially as specified.
2nd The improvement in the Bessemer process, which consists in introducing
a blast of hydrocarbonic gas into the molten charge in the converter in lieu of
adding spiegeleisen for introducing the requisite proportion of carbon to convert
the iron into steel.