IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Peter Jensen at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th March 1879. (A communication from
abroad by Fritz Osann, of Düsseldorf, in the Empire of Germany, Civil
Engineer.)
"
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL." (A communication from
abroad by Fritz Osann, of Düsseldorf, in the Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer.)
This Invention is based upon the fact that phosphorus is oxidized by iron-oxides,
even at a high temperature, supposing that the slag present be of a very basic
constitution, and that the vessel containing the metal which is to be dephosphorized
be lined with a basic or neutral material, or at least with a material which is
very fire-proof and withstands the attack of the basic slags.
I mention expressly that this view, according to the inventor's research, is oppo-
site to the scientific researches and views of Mr. J. L. Bell, who points out a low
temperature as essential for removing phosphorus.
According to this Invention common grey pig iron containing silicon and phos-
phorus is treated in the Bessemer converter as usual till it is either almost decar-
bonized, or till it is at least so far refined that the silicon of the pig has been
removed as far as desired, and that by burning of the silicon such a high temperature
has been attained that the metal may be kept fluid during some time. Since a
certain percentage of manganese supports the fluidity there can be made to the
charge an addition of "spiegeleisen" or ferro manganese.
When the charge is converted or refined as far as desired it is poured in such a
manner as to keep back all acid slags which have been generated during the
blast.
If the slag be stiff it may be kept back by a rake or other appliance; if not
there can be interposed a short channel with a bridge or a funnel.
When the metal has been separated in such a way from the acid slags it is brought
into contact with iron-oxides by any means.
Thereto may be used either any cleaning furnace as they are employed by
Mr. Krupp, Mr. J. L. Bell, and others, be it rotating, oscillating, or a fixed furnace ;
or, the reaction of the iron-oxides upon the phosphorus being at a high temperature
almost instantaneous, there may be used some more simple interposed arrangement,
for instance, the charge of the Bessemer-converter is poured into a large channel, or
a funnel, or a ladle-like vessel with an outlet at its side or bottom, or into a vessel

page_text: like a cupola (this latter construction might be heated before hand more easily than
others) which are lined and filled with iron-oxides in such a manner that the metal
on its way to the ladle passes over and through them as much as possible, and
I mention here
that it takes with it into the ladle a good deal of molten oxide
that mixing the metal with iron-oxides, and dephosphorizing it by the latter, could
also be performed in the ladle itself.
The metal when settled in the ladle has lost by its contact with the iron-oxides
most part of its phosphorus and sulphur and all silicon and manganese. The metal
must now be separated as soon as possible from the phosphoric basic slag, and
is therefore tapped from the bottom of the first ladle into a second ladle. The
additions which are necessary for introducing manganese, and, if wished, also
carbon and silicon, are spread over the bottom. There is also spread some fusible
substance, which is destined to protect the metal by a slag covering, such substances
being glass-scraps, acid slags, or equivalent materials.
The additions are chosen according to the destination of the finished metal, just
as in the Siemens-Martin or in the usual Bessemer process. However it will be
the best to work the metal which has been cleaned by this method into mild steel
(in German, flusseisen).