Improvements in the Manufacture of Ferro-bronze and other Alloys.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ferro-bronze and other
Alloys.
I, JOSEPH ELTON BOTT, of Eyam, in the County of Derby, Metallurgist, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improvement in the manufacture of ferro-bronze and
kindred metallic alloys, whereby the cost of production is reduced, and the regularity
of composition more certainly assured.
I accomplish this as follows: Availing myself of the property which zinc has for
absorbing iron, I first make an alloy of zinc and iron.
I produce my ferro-zinc alloy at a low temperature, instead of the high tem-
perature usually employed in alloying zinc with iron, which high temperature
causes considerable loss of zinc by volatilization, and as the absorption of iron by
zinc increases as the temperature, it follows that, if an alloy of zinc with a maximum
amount of iron is required, loss of zinc occurs, even when the operation is carried
out under a layer of charcoal or similar reducing agent.
The manner in which I avoid the volatilization of the zinc is as follows:-I avail
myself of the fact that iron is easily reduced at a comparatively low temperature in
the presence of sulphur forming a sulphide of iron.
I prefer to produce the sulphide of iron by placing hot iron rods into molten
sulphur, which is preferably contained in a closed iron crucible having a tapping
hole at its base, so that the sulphide of iron (which falls to the bottom of the
crucible as it is formed) may be run off from time to time, the continuous production
of the sulphide of iron being secured by feeding the sulphur and rods, or other
forms of iron through the closed cover of the crucible. Of course the sulphide of
iron may be formed in any manner.
When the sulphide of iron is required for the production of ferro-zinc, to be used
in making ferro-bronze, capable of being rolled or forged, and of great ductility, I
prefer to use simply wrought iron and sulphur, but when I wish to make a hard
tenacious ferro-bronze, suitable for bearings, propellers, etc., I use titanic iron ore
or sand instead of wrought iron, the manganese and silica in titanic iron ore or sand
being beneficial to the production. When a still denser ferro-zinc is required,
I use either tungsten (or Wolfram ore) or chrome ore, or both, either with or
without wrought iron, according to the purpose for which the final ferro-bronze is
required.
The next stage is the production of ferro-zinc, ferro-titanic-zinc, ferro-chromic-
zinc, ferro-manganic-chromic-zinc, ferro-tungstic-zinc, or ferro-zinc combined with
other metallic elements. These alloys are easily made at a comparatively low
temperature by placing the required proportions of zinc and of the simple sulphide
of iron, or of its compounds, with titanium, chrome, manganese, tungsten, or other
metallic element, or of any two or more of them, at the bottom of a covered and
sealed crucible, preferably of iron, having a tapping hole at its base through which
the resultant ferro-zinc alloy in combination or not with any or all of the other
metals above mentioned can be run off into ingot forms, the sulphur. being passed
off through the cover of the crucible.
In order to produce ferro-bronze I melt, in the usual manner, varying proportions
of the ferro-zinc alloy with varying proportions of copper, the said proportions
being determined according to the purpose for which the resultant ingot or casting
of ferro-bronze is required.
I am well aware that bronzes have been made containing copper, zinc, and iron,
but their production is somewhat costly, owing to the cost of amalgamating even a

page_text: small proportion of iron with the copper; by my method however, the proportion
of copper may be greatly reduced and the resultant ferro-bronze produced more
cheaply and of greater strength and ductility.
1
T
1001
J. ELTON BOTT,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ferro-bronze and other
Alloys.
I, JOSEPH ELTON BOTT, of Eyam, in the County of Derby, Metallurgist, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters
marked thereon:-
My invention consists of an improvement in the manufacture of ferro-bronze and
kindred metallic alloys, whereby the cost of production is reduced, and the regularity
of composition more certainly assured. The drawing represents a vertical section
of a crucible such as I employ in carrying my invention into effect.
I accomplish this as follows. Availing myself of the property which zinc has for
absorbing iron, I first make an alloy of zinc and iron. I produce my ferro-zinc alloy
at a low temperature, instead of at the high temperature usually employed in
alloying zinc with iron, which high temperature causes considerable loss of zinc by
volatilization, and as the absorption of iron by zinc increases as the temperature, it
follows that, if an alloy of zinc with a maximum amount of iron is required, loss of
zinc occurs, even when the operation is carried out under a layer of charcoal or
similar reducing agent.
The manner in which I avoid the volatilization of the zinc is as follows; I avail
myself of the fact that iron is easily reduced at a comparatively low temperature in
the presence of sulphur, forming a sulphide of iron. I prefer to produce the
sulphide of iron by placing hot iron rods into molten sulphur, which is preferably
contained in a closed iron crucible having a tapping hole at its base, so that the
Sulphide of iron (which falls to the bottom of the crucible as it is formed) may be
run off from time to time, the continuous production of the sulphide of iron being
secured by feeding the sulphur and rods, or other forms of iron, through the
closed cover of the crucible. Of course the sulphide of iron may be formed in any
manner.
When the sulphide of iron is required for the production of ferro-zinc, to be used
in making ferro-bronze, capable of being rolled or forged, and of great ductility,
I prefer to use simply wrought iron and sulphur, but when I wish to make a hard
tenacious ferro-bronze, suitable for bearings, propellers, etc., I use titanic iron ore
or sand instead of wrought iron, the manganese and silica in titanic iron ore or sand
being beneficial to the production. When a still denser ferro-zinc is required,
I use either tungsten (or Wolfram ore) or chrome ore, or both, either with or
without wrought iron according to the purpose for which the final ferro-bronze is
required.
The next stage is the production of ferro-zinc, ferro-titanic-zinc, ferro-chromic-
zinc, ferro-manganic-chromic-zinc, ferro-tungstic-zinc, or ferro-zinc combined with
other metallic elements. These alloys are easily made at a comparatively low
temperature by placing the required proportions of zinc and of the simple sulphide
of iron, or of its compounds, with titanium, chrome, manganese, tungsten, or other
metallic element, or of any two or more of them, at the bottom of a covered and
sealed crucible A, preferably of wrought iron or steel, having a cover B and a

page_text: tapping hole C at its base, through which the resultant ferro-zinc alloy, in con-
bination or not with any or all of the other metals above mentioned, can be
run off into ingot forms, the sulphur being passed off through a relief tube I
passing through the cover of the crucible. E is a plug for closing the tapping.
hole C.
In order to produce ferro-bronze, I melt, in the usual manner, varying proportions.
of the ferro-zinc alloy with varying proportions of copper, the said proportions
being determined according to the purpose for which the resulting ingot or casting
of ferro-bronze is required.
The method I have found to answer in carrying my invention into effect is as.
follows:-
:-
The sulphide of iron is placed at the bottom of a crucible, such as A, and on it is
placed, in any required proportion according to the effect desired to be produced,
the titanium, chromium, manganese, tungsten, or other metallic clement, or con-
binations of the same, it is desired to alloy with the iron.
The sulphide of iron causes the other metallic elements to fuse at a lower
temperature than their usual melting points, and when the metals are in a state
of fusion and sulphurous fumes are no longer given off through the relief tube D,
I then add a quantity of zinc sufficient to make a molten alloy saturated with
the combining proportions of the respective metallic elements; excess of iron and
similar metallic elements is employed to ensure this saturation; then, when the
molten alloy is poured into an ingot mould through the bottom tapping hole C,.
any excess of iron or similar metals beyond that necessary for the saturation
of the alloy liquates out on to the top of the ingot as the latter is cooling.
When the ingot has cooled, the portion thereof containing the liquated excess
of iron, &c., is removed therefrom by breaking it off or otherwise separating
the same.
The relief tube D, in addition to the above use, gives vent to any volatilized
zinc, and by using a long relief tube most of the zinc fumes becomes condensed,
and fall back into the metal again, this continuing until the whole of the zinc
is absorbed by the molten alloy to be made. This alloy is now ready to receive
the copper in any required proportion according to the hardness or toughness or
both of the resultant bronze required.
I am well aware that bronzes have been made containing copper, zinc, and
iron, but their production is somewhat costly, owing to the cost of amalgamating
even a small proportion of iron with the copper. By my method however the
proportion of copper may be greatly reduced and the resultant ferro-bronze
produced more cheaply and of greater strength and ductility.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of ferro-bronze and other kindred metallic alloys by, first,
producing sulphide of iron, second, employing said sulphide of iron in the pro-
duction of ferro-zinc, either simple or combined with other metallic elements,
and, finally, melting various proportions of the ferro-zinc alloy with various pro-
portions of copper, substantially as herein described.
2. The manufacture of ferro-bronze and other kindred metallic alloys by pro-
ducing ferro-zinc, either simple or combined with other metallic elements, by
placing the required proportions of zinc and of the simple sulphide of iron, or
of its compounds, with other metallic elements, at the bottom of a closed crucible,
having a tapping hole at its base, and a hole in its cover for the escape of the
sulphur, and then melting various proportions of the said ferro-zinc alloy with
various proportions of copper, substantially as herein described.
3. In the manufacture of ferro-bronze and other kindred alloys, the pre-
liminary production, at a low temperature, of. ferro-zinc, either simple or com-
bined with other metallic elements, by melting together in a closed crucible

page_text: the required proportions of zinc and of the simple sulphide of iron or of its
compounds with other metallic elements, substantially as herein described and for
the purpose stated.
.1511 .תוימ
11001
J. E. BOTT,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
J. E. BOTT,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.