Improvements in Linings for Bessemer Converters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linings for Bessemer Converters.
We CARL WILHELM BILDT of Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States
of America, Chief Inspector, of the Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Co.
GEORGE ASHWORTH and ELIJAH ASHWORTH of the firm: of Ashworth Brothers,
of the Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester in the County of Lancaster
Machine Makers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In Bessemer converters in which a lining of ganister or other acid material as
heretofore made has been employed, it has been found impossible to produce a
steel very low in carbon on account of the reaction which occurs between the
lining and the slag formed during a blow, as the slag becomes so acid as to make
it ineffective to remove the last traces of carbon from the charge.
The object of our improvement is to provide a lining for a converter which
while it is highly stable and refractory will react so little upon the slag formed
during a blow as to leave the slag sufficiently basic to remove the last traces of
carbon from the charge.
Our improvement consists in forming the lining of silicate of manganesc.
In forming such lining we prefer to make a mixture of very pure silica or quartz
sand, and burnt black oxide of manganese the proportions being four pounds of
the silica to three pounds of the oxide. We add to the mixture enough clay,
water or tar if preferred or other binding material to make a mass of the desired
consistency. The mass should be ground or worked up sufficiently so as to be of
uniform in its composition throughout.
If the converter is lined with brick or other acid material in the usual way we
spread the mixture over the lining to produce an interior lining or coating thereon
about two to four inches in thickness covering the whole interior of the converter.
The mixture may be rammed or otherwise forced into place on the brick or other
lining or directly against the shell of the converter.
When the charge is poured into the converter and the blow is commenced the
mixture we have described will undergo a chemical change the silica and the oxide
of manganese becoming converted into silicate of manganese so that the lining
will consist substantially of silicate of manganese. This is a stable and refractory
compound which we have demonstrated in practice reacts so little upon the slag
formed during the blow as to leave the slag sufficiently basic to remove sub-
stantially all of the carbon from the charge so that if ferro-manganese is added,
as usual after the blow the resultant steel will contain but a trace more carbon
than was contained in the ferro-manganese which was introduced.
The silicon will substantially all be removed but no phosphorus.
The lining which constitutes our invention is not a basic lining. It is an acid
lining, but, if the expression may be used, of about the same degree of basicity as
the slag formed at the end of the blow when the charge of pig iron is low in silicon.
There is therefore practically very little reaction during the blow between the
lining and the slag, if a pig iron is used for the charge which is low in silicon.
We find that a pig iron which contains from 1 to 130 per cent. of silicon and
about 3 per cent. of manganese is most suitable for the charge.
When the lining is once formed as above described the converter can be con-
tinuously used in successive blows as converters with the ordinary acid linings are
used. We have used it commercially in the production of low steel for wire from
charges of pig iron low in silicon and manganese and with remarkably advantageous
results

page_text: We do not limit our invention to the method of forming the lining herein
described or to the proportions of silica and oxide of manganese set forth as
silicious sand, metallic manganese or ores of manganese can be compounded and
made into a lining which on being sufficiently heated will be converted into silicate
of manganese.
Dated this 93rd doy of June 1901
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linings for Bessemer Converters.
We, CARL WILHELM BILDT of Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States
of America, Chief Inspector of the Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Co., GEORGE
ASHWORTH and ELIJAH ASHWORTH of the firm of Ashworth Brothers, of the
Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Makers, 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 that is to say :-
In Bessemer converters in which a lining of ganister or other acid material as
heretofore made has been employed, it has been found impossible to produce a steel
very low in carbon on account of the reaction which occurs between the lining and
the slag formed during a blow as the slay becomes so acid as to make it ineffective
to remove the last traces of carbon from the charge.
The object of our improvement is to provide a lining for a converter which while
it is highly stable and refractory will react so little upon the slag formed during a
blow as to leave the slag sufficiently basic to remove the last traces of carbon from
the charge.
Our improvement consists in forming the lining of silicate of manganese.
In forming such lining we prefer to make a mixture of very pure silica or quartz
sand and burnt black oxide of manganese, the proportions being four pounds of the
silica to three pounds of the oxide. We add to the mixture enough clay, water or
tar if preferred or other binding material to make a mass of the desired consistency.
The mass should be ground or worked up sufficiently so as to be uniform in its
composition throughout.
If the converter is lined with brick or other acid material in the usual way we
spread the mixture over the lining to produce an interior lining or coating thereon
about two to four inches in thickness covering the whole interior of the
converter.
The mixture may be rammed or otherwise forced into place on the brick or other
lining or directly against the shell of the converter.
When the charge is poured into the converter and the blow is commenced the
mixture we have described will undergo a chemical change, the silica and the oxide
of manganese becoming converted into silicate of manganese so that the lining will
consist substantially of silicate of manganese. This is a stable and refractory
compound which we have demonstrated in practice reacts so little upon the slag
formed during the blow as to leave the slag sufficiently basic to remove substantially
all of the carbon from the charge, so that if ferro-manganese is added, as usual
after the blow the resultant steel will contain but a trace more carbon than was
contained in the ferro manganese which was introduced.
The silicon will substantially all be removed but no phosphorus.
The lining which constitutes our invention is not a basic lining. It is an acid
lining but if the expression may be used of about the same degree of basicity as
the slag formed at the end of the blow when the charge of pig iron is low in
silicon. There is therefore practically very little reaction during the blow between
the lining and the slag, if a pig iron is used for the charge which is low in silicon.

page_text: We find that a pig iron which contains from 1 to 1:30 per cent. of silicon and about
3 per cent. of manganese is most suitable for the charge.
When the lining is once formed as above described the converter can be continu-
ously used in successive blows, as converters with the ordinary acid linings are
used. We have used it commercially in the production of low steel for wire from
charges of pig iron low in silicon and manganese and with remarkably advantageous
results.
We do not limit our invention to the method of forming the lining herein
described or to the proportions of silica and oxide of manganese set forth as
silicious sand, metallic manganese or ores of manganese can be compounded and
made into a lining which on being sufficiently heated will be converted into silicate
of manganese.
Silicate of manganese may be pulverised mixed with a suitable binding material
and applied as a lining.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1) A lining for converters made of silicate of manganese.
2) The improved method of forming a lining for converters which consists in
coating the interior of the converter before use with a mixture containing silica
and manganese, or compounds of those substances and a binding material and
subjecting such coating to the action of heat substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1902
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.