IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wilson, of No. 2, Royal Exchange
Buildings, London, E.C., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON."-A communication from abroad
by Jolin O. York, New York, U.S.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th May 1869.
I, JAMES WILSON, of No. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, London, E.C.,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in running the cast iron from the blast furnace
into ingots instead of into pigs, and simultaneously with this operation
a certain proportion, say, about 25 per cent. of oxide of iron is also
poured into the ingot. The result of this is that the pig iron becomes
decarbonised, and a wrought-iron bloom is formed in the ingot instead of

page_text: the pig iron, avoiding the whole waste and cost of puddling, and pro-
ducing a very superior iron.
The oxide of iron is obtained from the black iron sand orc, which is
prepared and cleaned in the ordinary manner for this purpose, and a
nearly pure magnetic oxide is the result.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th November 1809.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WILSON, of No. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, London, E.C., send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the 28th day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Wilson, Her special licence
that I, the said James Wilson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Wilson, my executors,
administrators, 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 WROUGHT IRON," (a communication to me from abroad by
John O. York, New York, U. S.,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My Invention consists in making wrought iron from the melted ore
as run from the blast furnace. Instead of running the metal into pigs
in the ordinary way it is run into ingots, and at the same time a certain
quantity of black oxide of sand ore (about 25 per cent.) in a dry state is
poured in so that they mix well together. The result is wrought iron
of excellent quality, and the ingot can be immediately rolled into a bar,
avoiding all the waste and cost of puddling, and producing from tho
same ore an iron of superior quality.
The sand used as converting agent is the black oxide of iron sand ore,
well cleaned and separated from the common sand, and uniform in size.
This is obtained principally from the coast of Labrador and other parts
of North America; but I do not confine myself to the use of the sand
ore obtained from these particular districts.
I claim as my Invention the method above described of manufacturing
wrought iron direct from the blast furnace by the mixture of the oxide
of iron sand with it in a liquid state.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 2nd day of November, A.D. 1869.