AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND METHOD FOR MAKING REFINED CAST STEEL FROM INFERIOR WROUGHT IRON. AS WELL AS THE BEST QUALITY OF WROUGHT IRON
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sheehan of 49 Great Portland Street in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND
METHOD FOR MAKING REFINED CAST STEEL FROM INFERIOR WROUGHT IRON.
AS WELL AS THE BEST QUALITY OF WROUGHT IRON
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sheehan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1883.
THOMAS SHEEHAN of 49 Great Portland Street in the County of Middlesex
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND METHOD FOR MAKING REFINED CAST STEEL FROM
INFERIOR WROUGHT IRON AS WELL AS THE BEST QUALITY OF WROUGHT IRON
I take the following ingredients namely:-
No 1 is Muriate of soda 110 lbs weight
N° 2 is Bicarbonate of soda 80 lbs by weight
N° 3 is Bisulphite of soda 70 lbs by weight
N° 4 is Bisulphite of zinc 40 lbs by weight
N° 5 is alumina-(flux for the crucible not to be dissolved)
N° 6 is hard-wood charcoal, 6 bushels by measurement.
N° 7 is granular limestone, to be used raw not burnt.
"
I prepare 20 tons of wrought iron for the crucible in the following, that is to
say I get a tank that will contain 250 gallons of water, then I take the No 1, 2.
3. 4 and put them in the said tank to dissolve and keep it as a supply for future
use. I then get a smaller tank to contain about 6 bushels of hard-wood charcoal,
broken small, not pulverised as fine as flour, then I take as much liquid out of the
large tank as will wet and saturate the charcoal to the consistency of a stiff paste,
then it will be ready for use. The said tanks to be made of sheet iron / of an
inch thick and to be. made steam and water tight. Then I get boxes made of cast
ron in the following dimensions that is to say, 5 feet long, 6 inches wide, 8 inches
deep, the thickness to be / of an inch thick. The above is inside measurement.
Then I take the aforesaid limestone broken small and put a layer of one inch
thick in the bottom of said box, then I put a thin plate of sheet iron, say 1/1, of an
16

page_text: inch thick with a slit lengthways through the middle of said plate one inch wide, in
order to save the compound from mixing with the lime when burned as the com-
pound can be used many times without diminishing its property for future use.
I put similar plate of sheet iron on the top of the box to answer the same purpose
as in the bottom of said box. Then I prepare wrought iron for the crucible in the
following manner that is to say, I get scrap iron as well as new bar iron
irrespective of their qualities and hammer them to of an inch in thickness
irrespective of the mass shape when flattened, then I put alternate layers of the
compound and of the iron in the said box then cover and lute the said box, then
I put 6 of the said boxes in a suitable furnace made for the purpose. I leave it in
the furnace under a strong heat for 10 hours then I take out the 6 boxes and let
them cool on the floor before I open them. There ought to be two sets of boxes so
as to keep the furnace under heat, that is to work on a large scale. Then I will
have good steel for the crucible free from phosphorus and sulphur and will make
uniform refined cast steel fit for shop tools of every description also every
description of cutlery too numerous to mention here, including surgical instru-
ments of every description, also superior files of every description, also taps and
dies, also sword blades equal to the old Damascus steel when properly tempered.
I use an oscillating ingot machine for stirring and agitating the liquid steel until
it becomes cool and stiff in the ingot before removing the contents, then the steel
will be compact and free from blow-holes and flaws and will be uniform for use.
My process can be utilized for agricultural machinery such as ploughs harrows
and scufflers with great advantage by making an alteration in the chemicals, that
is to say, I reduce the N° 1. 2. 3. 4 one quarter by weight of each number, then it
can be used for many purposes along with the cast steel such as the machinery of
stationary engines, marine engines, locomotive machinery such as the wearing
surfaces with many other things. It will answer in the place of the old method of
case-hardening with great advantage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sheehan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th December
1883.
THOMAS SHEEHAN of 49 Great Portland Street in the County of Middlesex
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND METHOD FOR MAKING REFINED CAST STEEL FROM
INFERIOR WROUGHT IRON AS WELL AS THE BEST QUALITY OF WROUGHT IRON
This invention has for its object an improved process and method for making
refined cast steel from inferior wrought iron as well as the best quality of wrought
irou.
I take the following ingredients namely:-
No 1 is muriate of soda 110 lbs weight
No 2 is bicarbonate of soda 80 lbs by weight.
N° 3 is bisulphite of soda 70 lbs by weight
N° 4 is sulphite of zinc, 40 lbs by weight
No 5 is alumina (flux for the crucible not to be dissolved)
N° 6 is hard wood charcoal, six bushels by measurement.
No 7 is granular limestone, to be used raw not burned.
I prepare 20 tons of wrought iron for the crucible in the following way that is
to say, I get a tank that will contain 250 gallons of water then I take the
No 1. 2. 3. 4 and put them in the said tank to dissolve and keep it as a supply for
future use. I then get a smaller tank to contain about 6 bushels of hard wood charcoal
broken small not pulverised as fine as flour. Then I take as much liquid out of
the large tank as will wet and saturate the charcoal to the consistency of a stiff
paste then it will be ready for use. The said tanks to be made of sheet iron 1 of
an inch thick and to be made steam and water tight. Then I get boxes made of
cast iron in the following dimensions, that is to say, 5 feet long, 6 inches wide,
8 inches deep, the thickness to be 5/8 of an inch thick. The above is inside
measurement. Then I take the aforesaid limestone broken small and put a layer
of one inch thick in the bottom of said box then I put a thin plate of sheet iron
say 16 of an inch thick with a slit lengthways through the middle of said
plate one inch wide in order to save the compound from mixing with the lime
when burned as the compound can be used for many times without diminishing its
property for future use put similar plate of sheet iron on the top of the box to
answer the same purpose as in the bottom of said box. Then I prepare wrought
iron for the crucible in the following manner, that is to say, I get scrap iron as well
as new bar iron irrespective of their qualities and hammer then to 1% of an inch in
thickness irrespective of the shape when flattened, then I put alternate layers of
the compound and of the iron in the said box, then cover and lute the said box,
then I put six of the said boxes in a suitable furnace made for the purpose, I leave
it in the furnace under a strong heat for ten hours then I take out the six boxes
and let them cool on the floor before I open them. There ought to be two sets of
boxes so as to keep the furnace under heat, that is to work on a large scale.
I will have good steel for the crucible free from phosphorus and sulphur and will
make uniform refined cast steel fit for shop tools of every description also every
description of cutlery too numerous to mention here including surgical instruments
of every description, also superior files of every description, also taps and dies, also
sword blades equal to the old Damascus steel when properly tempered.
Then
I use an oscillating ingot machine for stirring and agitating the liquid steel until
it becomes cool and stiff in the ingot before removing the contents then the steel
will be compact and free from blow holes and flaws and will be uniform for use,

page_text: My oscillating machine consists of a trough mounted on legs and with a bottom
which is moveable. This bottom has rack teeth upon it and can be made to slide
to and fro by means of a lever handle and toothed sector engaging with the rack
teeth. The ingot moulds are placed in this trough standing in a row upon the
moveable bottom. The moulds abut against stationary bars passing across the top
of the trough from side to side consequently, the movement of the bottom of the
trough causes a tipping of the moulds from side to side.
الله
09-11:
My process can be utilized for agricultural machinery such as ploughs harrows
and scuflers with great advantage by making an alteration in the chemicals, that
is to say, I reduce the No 1. 2. 3. 4 one quarter by weight of each number, then it
can be used for many purposes along with the cast steel such as the machinery of
stationary engines marine engines locomotive machinery such as the wearing
surfaces with many other things. It will answer in the place of the old method of
hardening with great advantage.
(EE 1
casehar
Having thus fully described the said invention and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that I claim
First-The combination of the ingredients Nos. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 for the purpose
described.
Second-I claim the alteration of the ingredients as and for the purpose
described.
Third I claim the use of the oscillating machine for compressing the liquid
steel in the ingot mould as specified.
In witness whereof. I the said Thomas Sheehan have hereunto set my hand and
seal this third day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
THOMAS SHEEHAN (L.S.)