Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Iron
and Steel.
I, THOMAS PARKER of Newbridge Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of iron equal to the best Swedish charcoal
iron, and to the higher grades of crucible steel, that is to say, iron and steel free from
alloys and impurities.
According to these improvements, iron is dissolved in hydrochloric or in sulphuric
acid, and ammonia, soda, or potash is added thereto. To the iron solution thus
formed, metallic iron is added in a suitable electrolysing vessel in which are placed
inetallic iron in the form of wrought or cast scrap or wrought or cast plates or other
convenient and suitable form to act as the anode, and a sheet or plate of iron cut or
formed to suit the bath to act as the cathode. Upon the passage of a current of
electricity through the solution metallic iron is deposited upon the cathode and at the
same time the anode is continuously dissolved. The anode is replaced or renewed by
the constant addition of fresh metallic iron to the bath as the previously added iron
becomes dissolved. The iron deposited on the cathode is free from sulphur, phos-
phorus, silicon, and other impurities which would render it unfit for the manufacture
of the highest grades of iron and steel. The pure iron thus reduced is taken from the
cathode and it may be manipulated in furnaces and be otherwise treated in a manner
and by means similar to those adopted in the treatment of scrap iron for the best
purposes and be rolled into sheets or bars which may be used as iron, or which may be
converted into steel by the cementation process in the same manner as Swedish
charcoal iron; or, the metal taken from the cathode may be melted direct with suitable
fluxes and carbon to produce steel direct in the crucible.
Dated this 13th day of Inly A D 1880
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture of Iron
and Steel.
I, THOMAS PARKER of Newbridge Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of iron by electrolysis equal in purity to
the best Swedish charcoal iron, and to the manufacture of steel therefrom equal to the
higher grades of crucible steel; that is to say, iron and steel free from alloys and
impurities.
According to these improvements metallic iron is brought into aqueous solution
by means of a suitable acid such as hydrochloric or sulphuric, and to this solution
there is added ammonia, soda, or potash in just sufficient quantity to render the
solution of the iron salt neutral or only very slightly acid.
To the iron salt solution there is added in a suitable electrolysing vessel, metallic
iron in the form of borings turnings or cust or wrought scrap or in any other
suitable and couvenient form, to act as an apode, and a cathode preferably of iron
suitably cut or shaped to suit the bath,

page_text: The anode and the cathode are respectively connected in the usual manner to the
poles of a dynamo or other source of electricity capable of establishing a current
under a pressure of about two volts, between the anode and the cathode.
In ordinary
working conditions it is preferred to employ the current under a pressure of from
one and a balf to two volts.
By the action of the current upon the electrolyte metallic iron is deposited upon the
cathode and at the same time the anode is continuously dissolved and brought into
solution by the liberated acid.
The anode is replaced or renewed by the continuous or intermittent addition of
metallic iron to the bath as the previously added iron becomes dissolved.
The pure iron which is reduced upon the cathode is taken therefrom as it
accumulates, or from time to time as may be required, and may be forged and
otherwise treated so as to bring it into merchantable formn in a similar manner and by
similar means to those adopted in similarly preparing wrought scrap iron for the best
purposes. Being free from phosphorus, sulphur, silicium, and other impurities, it is
peculiarly suitable for use in the manufacture of the higher grades of iron and
steel.
In the manufacture of steel, I take the iron reduced by electrolysis as hereinbefore
described, and combine it with carbon by the cementation process in a similar manner
and by similar means to those adopted in the manufacture of steel from charcoal iron,
or I may melt the reduced iron with suitable fluxes and a source of carbon as is well
understood and commonly practised in the manufacture of steel.
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,―
The herein before described process for the continuous reduction of pure iron by the
electrolysis of a solution of a salt of iron in the presence of an iron anode, the reduced
iron being thereafter converted into a merchantable form or into higher grade steel;
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of May AD. 1890