IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cartmell Ridley, of Albert Terrace,
Jesmond Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.'
"
Sealed the 14th March 1871, and dated the 21st January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cartmell Ridley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st January 1871.
I, JAMES CARTMELL RIDLEY, of Albert Terrace, Jesmond Road,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of malleable iron and steel
from molten, pig, or cast iron, whereby the quality is much improved
and the length of time of manufacture is shortened.
It consists in adding to the metals when in a molten state a certain
quantity of metallic lead or. red or other oxide of lead or salts of lead:
This may be mixed with the metal in the puddling or other furnace,
4-1

page_text: or in the converter or ladles or other vessels in which such iron or steel
is under treatment.
The quantity or proportion of the metallic lead, oxide of lead, or salt.
of lead to be mixed with a given quantity of metal cannot here be noted,
as it would, vary according to the nature of the metal and the degree of
malleability or quantity required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Cartmell Ridley in the Great Seal Patent,
Office on the 20th July 1871.
!
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CARTMELL RIDLEY, of Albert Terrace, Jesmond Road, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date. the Twenty-first day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,, give
and grant unto me, the said James Cartmell Ridley, Her special licence
that I, the said James Cartmell Ridley, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Cartmell Ridley,
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 IRON AND STEEL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Cartmell Ridley, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Seal Patent Office:
within six calendar months next, and immediately after the date of the:
said Letters Patent.
1
• NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Cartmell Ridley, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by:
the following statement thereof.:―
.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of malleable iron and steel
from molten, pig, or cast iron in a special manner as herein-after
described, whereby the quality is much improved and the length of time:
of manufacture is considerably shortened.
It consists in adding to the molten metal in the puddling or other
converting furnace when at an exceedingly high or intense heat a
regulated proportion of red or other oxide of lead or salt of lead or lead
in the metallic state, the proportion being guided by the nature of the
metal under treatment.
I am aware that attempts have been made heretofore to. employ
metallic lead and oxides and salts of lead in the manufacture of iron, but
such attempts have not been practically successful, owing, as I believe,
to the operation having been carried on at a low temperature, whereas
I have discovered that the puddling operation should be conducted at
an intense temperature in order to obtain the successful results obtained
by my improved method of manufacture. I do not therefore claim such
use of lead at low temperatures.
Having thus set forth the nature of my said Invention I will proceed
to describe the manner in which it is and may be performed.
Having charged the puddling or other converting furnace with the
usual charge of pig iron or metal, say from 4 cwt. and upwards,
according to the size and description of furnace, I melt the charge down
(if charged cold) and allow it to be subjected to the action of the fire
until it has attained a temperature much higher than is usual in the
ordinary process of puddling. As soon as this result has been obtained
I add to the molten metal in the puddling furnace about ½ of metallic
lead or its equivalent in oxides or salts of lead to each cwt. of metal
in the furnace. This iron is then worked off in the ordinary manner
known to skilled workmen, except that in order to obtain a suc-
cessful result from the admixture of the lead the temperature is kept
high during the process. If in any case the results are found not to be
successful or only partially successful then it will be known that a still
higher temperature should be employed, and the proportion of heat may
probably be slightly varied with advantage.
I do not limit myself to the precise quantity of lead as mentioned
above, or to the particular, time when it is added to the metal in the
'

page_text: furnace, as slight variations may be made with advantage where the
quality of the iron may render it advisable, as would be readily ascertained.
by persons experienced in the manufacture of iron and steel.
I claim as my Invention the employment of lead in a metallic or other
state in the working of iron in the puddling furnace or other converting
furnace when the iron is worked at the high temperature indicated by.
me as necessary in the manner and for the purpose of improving the
quality of the iron and shortening the length of time of manufacture as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cartmell Ridley, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one
J. CARTMELL RIDLEY. (L.S.)