IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST STEEL AND IN REFINING PIG OR CAST IRON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST
STEEL AND IN REFINING PIG OR CAST IRON."-A communication from
abroad by Bernhard Gloeckner, of Tschirndorf, in Prussian Silesia.
Scaled the 30th May 1873, and dated the 4th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th December 1872.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF CAST STEEL AND IN REFINING PIG OR CAST IRON," to be as follows:-
The principal object of this Invention is to produce cast steel in a
more economical manner and with greater facility than heretofore. To
this end I take any convenient quantity of wrought iron or steel filings

page_text: or turnings, and having heated them red hot in any convenient vessel I
place them in a ladle into which I run molten cast iron. If the iron is
run in direct from a cupola furnace, I place on the red hot steel or iron
turnings from one-half to five per cent. of soda and from one-half to
two per cent. of rosin. The soda and rosin will form a slag which will
rise up through the molten metal and will carry with it all the impu-
rities contained in the iron. The scoria may remain on the iron until it
begins to darken. in colour, when the metal may be run off or cast
into ingots or moulds. The metal so obtained may be hardened and
tempered and treated just like steel.
Pig or cast iron may be refined by running it in a molten state on to
the mixture of soda and rosin which as in the former instance will com-
bine with and carry off the impurities so that when cast in moulds it
will be free from blisters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
. County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my 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 CAST STEEL AND IN REFINING
CAST IRON," being a communication to me, from abroad by
PIG OR

page_text: Bernhard Gloeckner, of Tschirndorf, in Prussian Silesia, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my
executors or administrators, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 order to produce a homogeneous and refined cast metal I melt cast
iron and wrought iron turnings with cast iron, and thus form a perfectly
homogeneous metal without any trace of the turnings or shavings in
the metal.
In carrying out the Invention the turnings (heated to a red heat in
suitable vessels) are placed in a ladle and covered with from one-half to
three per cent. of soda and from one-half to three per cent. of common
rosin. Molten iron is run into this ladle from a cupola or other furnace.
In consequence of this addition there occurs in the ladle a considerable
formation of scoria or slag. This slag must not be removed from the
iron until it becomes of a dark colour. When this takes place the slag.
is removed from the iron and the iron can be poured off. All impurities
will have become separated from the iron and a blisterless and perfectly
homogeneous casting will be obtained.
The metal produced will, until hardened, be soft enough to be easily
worked like the best cast metal. It further possesses the properties of
cast steel for it may be hardened, tempered, annealed, and rehardened,
without losing any of its firmness. In order to distinguish this alloy
from ordinary cast steel I have given it the name of casting steel
(stahlguss).
If it be desired to produce a casting of cast iron free from blisters
the above-named quantity of soda and rosin is first placed in a ladle
and molten iron is then run into the same. The same appearances now
take place in the cast iron and a blisterless casting is produced by the
same process.

page_text: Having now set forth the nature of the Invention which has been
communicated to me from abroad by my foreign correspondent as afore-
said, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,―
First. The manufacture of an alloy or combination of iron and steel
by melting together cast iron and turnings or shavings of cast steel or
wrought iron in the manner above set forth, the same being applicable
for the manufacture of various articles that can be produced by casting,
but more particularly for brake blocks for railways.
Second. The production of blisterless cast iron from ordinary cast
iron, in the manner above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.