Improvements in the Processes of Manufacture of Steel Ingots, Steel Castings, and Ingot-iron.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Processes of Manufacture of Steel Ingots, Steel
Castings, and Ingot-iron.
.1
..
I, JOHN OLIVER ARSOLD of 19 Mooroaks Road, Sheffield. in the County of
of my said invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE OF STEEL INGOTS,
STEEL CASTINGS AND INGOT-IRON" to be as follows:-
6.
The objects of my invention are to improve the quality and cheapen the
production of steel ingots, steel eastings and ingot-iron.
1st. To dispense with the use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon
thus obtaining steel ingots, steel castings, ingot iron very low in silicon and
manganese and consequently purer, more ductile, and if hardened less liable to
water crack.
2nd. To practically eliminate or cause to remain absorbed the blow hole gases
hitherto imperfectly eliminated or caused to remain absorbed by spiegel, ferro-
manganese or ferro-silicon by substituting for those inaterials aluminium or ferro-
aluminium. By such practical elimination prevent or practically prevent the
evil of water cracks occurring during hardening which arises in a great measure
from imperfectly welded blow holes.
3rd. To produce in the open hearth furnace or Bessemer converter direct from
pig iron, or from pig iron, serap and iron ore, or from pig iron and scrap, a finer
quality of ingot steel or steel castings than is now produced by the costly system
of melting in crucibles.
4th. To produce in the open-hearth furnace or the Bessemer converter a pure
iron practically free from carbon, silicon, manganese, and involved slag, low in
phosphorus and sulphur and yet capable of being cast into ingots or castings of
greater purity homogeneity and strength than iron produced by the more costly
process of puddling and hammering into blooms.
My invention is applicable to the Siemens Martin or open hearth system and to
the Bessemer system or to any similar systems where the open hearth furnace of
the Siemens type is employed or where the Bessemer or modified forms of the
Bessemer converting plant is employed, and my invention is equally applicable to
the acid or basic process in either of these systems.
For the production of high class steel ingots such as are used for cutlery and the
like purposes, the processes usually employed are as follows:
:―
(a) By the Walloon or Lancashire hearth process for the conversion of cast
iron into malleable or wrought iron.
(b) By the carbon cementation process for the carburisation of bar iron and by
which the products of the last named process (a) are converted into bar steel.
(c) By the crucible melting process by which the last named bar steel is fused
and cast into homogeneous masses called ingots.
By my herein described invention I concentrate into one process the foregoing
three processes and convert cast iron into steel which may be cast into ingots or
other mould and by the same process, the mixtures only being varied, I produce
mild steel ingots, steel castings or ingot iron.
I am also able to produce in ingot form a steel so low in silicon and mangane-e
as to dispense with the necessity now existing to submit converted bar iron to
the process of shearing or of double shearing by which process alone steel
practically free from silicon and manganese can be at present obtained I thus
avoid the waste arising from imperfect welds due to layers of oxide of iron basic
cinder and other causes.

page_text: I attain these objects as already described either in an open hearth melting
furnace or in a Bessemer steel converting plant but I will first describe the
application of my invention to the open hearth process.
My improved process consists in carrying out the following series of operations
in an open hearth steel melting furnace of the Siemens Martin type.
A charge of grey, white or mottled iron, all or any of them, scrap and magnetite
or hematite ore, of a purity within the limits hereinafter described, is melted in
the ordinary way but I make a mixture of such proportions that the oxidisible
impurities, manganese and silicon shall have been removed before the carbon has
fallen to the desired percentage. The pig iron I employ when using the acid
process would be within the range of the following analyses:
-
Total Carbon
Silicon
Manganese
Phosphorus
Sulphur
2.5
to 4.5
-
0.1
to 4.J
-
0.1
to 4.0
-
0.01 to 0.10
trace to 0.10
I accurately determine the desired carbon hardness as follows: An abscisse and
ordinate curve of the average working of the furnace is constructed with not
more than half hour periods or percentage points, samples are taken from time to
time from the bath and cooled in air so as to get an accurate colour carbon
determination, which cannot be done when the sample is cooled in water; the fall
of carbon which takes place between the sampling and the completion of the
analysis is estimated by reference to the portion of the curve lying between such
differences of times. When the desired carbon is reached, the alloy of carbon
and iron is at once tapped from the furnace without the addition of spiegel or
ferro-manganese or ferro-silicon upon cold or heated or molten aluminium or
fero aluminium contained or thrown into the ladle in such quantity as to remove
blow-hole forming gases and leave an excess of aluminium in the steel, the quantity
I use varying according to circumstances from 0.025 % to 15%, and when
employing ferro-chrome, tungsten, ferro-nickel or nickel I introduce it in the way
here described for the aluminium or in some cases I add the alloying metals to
the bath in the furnace before tapping, and in some cases the aluminium may
be added to the bath before the carbon reaches the desired point or in other
cases the alloying metals may be added partly to the bath and partly in ladle
as already described.
To avoid piping I then cast the steel in the ordinary way but preferably in close
topped grouped ingot moulds or into moulds prepared for the castings to be
produced, such moulds having runners and gits the latter having a head of metal
sufficient to replace contraction cavities whilst the ingots or castings are liquid.
In order to carry out this process expeditiously I melt the aluminium, ferro-
aluminium and also when so used the ferro-chrome, ferro tungsten, ferro-nickel or
nickel in a crucible or crucibles in a melting hole or melting holes built in
convenient proximity to the melting furnace which may be fixed by gas from the
melting furnace producer main or otherwise, when the producer gas is used
I employ a forced draught and pass the waste gas into the regenerators of the
melting furnace, the gas and air being controlled by suitable valves and the waste
gases being regulated by a reversing valve or valves.
In some cases the air and gas may be conveyed to the pot furnace after having
been heated in a regenerator or regenerators or in some cases I construct the pot
heating furnace with an air or gas belt or both or with independent regenerators by
which the air and the gas either or both may be heated before being admitted
to the combustion chamber.
こ
By my improved process | produce cast steel ingots, ranging from dead mild
steel containing 0.10° of combined carbon to hard steel containing say 2 of
carbon and of a quality and temper suitable for cutlery, engineers turning and
cutting tool or other purposes but I do not confine myself to this limit.

page_text: 0'
Ordinarily steel made by my improved process will consist practically of carbon
and iron, impurities such as silicon, manganese, sulphur, phosphorus, arsenic and
copper being each less than 1% of the whole and aluminium not exceeding 1°
In some cases I produce steel containing in addition to combine carbon from 0.1
to 3°
chromium from 0-1 to 3° of nickel and from 1% to 12° of tungsten
all or any of them either separately or together.
01
о
10
°
By my improved process I am also able to produce steel free or practically free
from blow holes and being comparatively free from impurities will therefore not be
liable to water cracks.
By my improved process I produce steel castings consisting of carbon and iron
or flip chroni ritio h Silicon, mognese, sulphur.
phosphorus, arsenic and copper not exceeding more than 0.10 · of the whole and
aluminium not exceeding
с
o
יס
D
о
to 3°
The carbon to range from 0:10° to the chromium from 0.10 °
my object being to obtain steel for castings having a high resistance to tension
combined with ductility.
By my improved process I am also able to produce ingot iron containing
carbon ranging from 01°
free or practically free from blow holes and
impurities.
°
to 0.1 °
0
I will now describe the application of my invention to the Bessemer process, the
objects to be attained in both being the same or similar and I attain these objects
in the following manner.
I blow down iron smelted fron hematite, magnetite or spathic ores in the
ordinary way, I then add to the blown bath or to the ladle cold or molten
aluminium, ferro-aluminium or ferro-chrome or commercial carbide of iron, but
no spiegel and no ferro-manganese. I then cast the steel in ingot or other moulds
in the ordinary way but preferably in close topped grouped ingot moulds.
Steel castings I run in the ordinary way but preferably I cast them into dry
sand compo moulds.
Ingot iron cast as already described for ingots.
By this process I am able to produce purer steel ingots, steel castings, and ingot
iron than is possible by existing processes, likewise freer from blow holes.
The composition of the steel thus produced will be as follows:-
0'
°°
יס
8
phosphorus and sulphur,
The carbon to range from 001 to 20% the silicon to range from a trace
to 0-10 ° the manganese to range from a trace to 0.10 ° When necessary to
produce special steels the chromiuin to range from 0.10 to 3
the nickel to range
from 0.10 to 3°
о
the tungsten to range from 1 to 12
arsenic and copper each not to exceed 0-10%.
Aluminium not to exceed 1%-
01
TU! 1941. 1
1001
0'
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Processes of Manufacture of Steel Ingots, Steel
Castings, and Ingot-iron.
I, JOHN OLIVER ARNOLD, of 19 Mooroaks Road Sheffield, in the County of
York, Professor of Metallurgy, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE OF STEEL INGOTS,
STEEL CASTINGS AND INGOT-IRON," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow g
statement :-
The objects of my invention are to improve the quality and cheapen the production
of steel ingots, steel castings, and ingot-iron.

page_text: 1st. To dispense with the use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon
thus obtaining steel ingots, steel castings and ingot-iron very low in silicon and
manganese and consequently purer, more ductile, and if hardened less liable to
water cracks.
2nd. To practically eliminate or cause to remain absorbed the blow hole gases
hitherto imperfectly eliminated or caused to remain absorbed by spiegel, ferro
manganese or ferro-silicon by substituting for those materials aluminium or ferro-
aluminium. By such practical elimination I prevent or practically prevent the evil
of water cracks occuring during hardening which arises in a great measure from
imperfectly welded blow holes. I also render light or heavy forgings less liable to
invisible flaws arising from highly compressed layers of gas originally existing as
blow holes.
3rd. To produce in the open hearth furnace or Bessemer converter direct from
pig iron or from pig iron, scrap and iron ore, or from pig iron and scrap only, a finer
quality of ingot steel or steel castings than is now produced by the costly system of
melting in crucibles.
4th. To produce in the open-hearth furnace or the Bessemer converter a pure
iron practically free from carbon, silicon, manganese, and involved slag, low in
phosphorus and sulphur and yet capable of being hammered and rolled without
indications of red shortness and of being cast into ingots or castings of greater
purity, homogeneity and strength than iron produced by the more costly process of
puddling and hammering into blooms.
My invention is applicable to the Siemens Martin or open hearth system and to
the Bessemer system or to any similar systems where the open hearth furnace of
the Siemens type is employed or where the Bessemer or modified forms of the
Bessemer converting plant is employed, and is likewise applicable to the acid or
basic process in either of these systems.
For the production of high class steel ingots such as are used for cutlery,
engineers tools and the like purposes, the processes usually employed are as
follows:
(a) By the Walloon or Lancashire hearth process for the conversion of cast iron
into malleable or wrought iron.
(b) By the carbon cementation process for the carburisation of bar iron and by
which the products of the last named process (a), are converted into bar steel.
(e) By the crucible melting process by which the last named bar steel is fused
and cast into homogeneous masses called ingots.
By my herein described invention I concentrate into one process the foregoing
three processes and convert cast iron into steel which may be cast into ingots or
other moulds, and by the same process, the mixtures only being varied, I produce
mild steel ingots, steel castings or ingot-iron.
I am also able to produce in ingot form a steel so low in silicon and manganese
as to dispense with the necessity now existing to submit converted bar iron to the
process of shearing or of double shearing, by which process alone steel practically
free from silicon and manganese can be at present obtained, I thus avoid the waste
arising from imperfect welds due to layers of oxide of iron, basic cinder and other
causes.
I attain these objects as already described either in an open hearth melting
furnace or in a Bessemer steel converting plant, but I will first describe the applica-
tion of my invention to the acid open hearth process.
My improved process consists in carrying out the following series of operations
in an open hearth steel melting furnace of the Siemens Martin type.
A charge of grey, white or mottled iron, all or any of them, scrap and magnetite
or hematite ore, of a purity within the limits hereinafter described, is melted in the
ordinary way but I make a mixture of such proportions that the oxidisable
impurities, manganese and silicon shall have been removed before the carbon has
fallen to the desired percentage.

page_text: Total Carbon
Silicon
Manganese
Phosphorus
Sulphur, trace
2-3 to 4-5
°
0.1
to 4.5
0.1
to 4.0
0:01 to 0-10
D
.
to 0.10 °
-
10
I accurately determine the desired carbon hardness as follows: An abscissor and
ordinate curve of the average working of the furnace is constructed with not more
than half hour periods or percentage points, souples taken fru tin to tin
from the bath and cooled in air so as to get an accurate colour carbon determination,
which cannot be done when the sample is cooled in water, the fall of carbon which
takes place between the sampling and the completion of the analysis is estimated
by reference to the portion of the curve lying between such differences of times,
When the desired carbon is reached, the alloy of carbon and iron is at once tapped
from the furnace without the addition of spiegel or ferro-manganese or ferro-silicon
upon cold or heated or molten aluminium or ferro-aluminium contained or thrown
into the ladle in such quantity as to remove blow-hole forming gases and leave an
excess of aluminium in the steel, the quantity I use varying according to
circumstances from 0.025 °
to 1-5 °
and when employing ferro-chrome, tungsten,
ferro-nickel or nickel, introduce it in the way here described for the aluminium
or in some cases I add the alloying metals to the bath in the furnace before tapping,
and in some cases the aluminium may be added to the bath before the carbon reaches
the desired point or in other cases the alloying metals may be added partly to the
bath and partly in ladle as already described."
As an alternative method of introducing the alloying metals chromium, tungsten
and nickel, any or all of them, into the open hearth or Bessemer bath mix the
ground reducible ores of chromium, tungsten or nickel with molten pitch, tar or
glucose or a mixture of molten pitch, tar or glucose in such quantity that the organic
carbon reduces the metal or metals and they pass into the bath.
The mixture of the pitch, tar or glucose all or any of them with the ore or ores
is compressed into bricks or balls or other convenient shape and is then used with
or without a previous calcination at a red heat.
I further when employing chrome pig-iron as a vehicle for the introduction of
chromium into steel ingots, steel castings, or ingot-iron avoid the co-introduction of
the silicon and manganese also present in the chrome-pig by adding the latter either
as a part of the charge placed on the open-hearth or in the Bessemer cupola or at
such a stage of the oxidation as to ensure the practical absence in the finished
steel or ingot iron of silicon and manganese.
As however the chromium itself is more or less oxidized I add originally from
to 200 more chromium than that required in the finished steel.
20 °
0
o
For example if a steel containing 1 C of chromium is desired I have from 1:20°。
10 3.00% of chromium present in the original charge.
To avoid piping I then slowly cast the steel in the ordinary way but preferably in
close topped grouped ingot moulds or into moulds prepared for the castings to be
produced, such moulds having runners and gits the latter having a head of metal
sufficient to replace contraction cavities whilst the ingots or castings are liquid.
In order to carry out this process expeditiously melt the aluminium, ferro-
aluminium and also when so used the ferro-chrome, ferro-tungsten, ferro-nickel or
nickel in a crucible or crucibles in a melting hole or melting holes built in convenient
proximity to the melting furnace, which may be fired by gas from the melting
furnace producer main or otherwise, when the producer gas is used I employ a
forced draught and pass the waste gas into the regenerators of the melting furnace,
the gas and air being controlled by suitable valves and the waste gases being
regulated by a reversing valve or valves.
In some cases the air and gas inay be conveyed to the pot furnace after having

page_text: been heated in a regenerator or regenerators or in some cases I construct the pot
heating furnace with an air or gas belt or both or with independent regenerators by
which the air and the gas either or both may be heated before being admitted to
the combustion chamber. When more convenient I melt the alloying metals or
commercial carbide of iron in a cupola or in an air-furnace.
°
By my improved process I produce cast steel ingots, ranging from dead mild
steel containing 0.10% of combined carbon to hard steel containing say 2° of
carbon and of a quality and temper suitable for cutlery, engineers turning and
cutting tools or other purposes, but I do not confine myself to this limit.
;
0
o
°°
Ordinarily steel made by my improved process will consist practically of carbon
and iron, impurities such as silicon, manganese, sulphur, phosphorus, arsenic and
copper being each less than 0·1 of the whole and aluminium not exceeding 1
In some
cases produce steel containing in addition to combined carbon
from 0.1 to 3 chromium, from 0.1 to 3% of nickel and from 1 to 12 of
tungsten all or any of them either separately or together.
2
U
0
C
o
,
°
By my improved process I am also able to produce steel free or practically free
from blow holes and being comparatively free from impurities will therefore not be
linble to water cracks.
°
By my improved process I product steel castings consisting of carbon and iron or
of carbon, iron and chromium, impurities such as silicon, manganese, sulphur,
phosphorus, arsenic and copper not exceeding more than 0-10% of the whole and
aluminium not exceeding 1° The carbon to range from 0-10% to 1%, the
chromium from 0.10% to 3° omy object being to obtain steel for castings having
a high resistance to tension combined with ductility.
о
°°
By my improved process I am also able to produce ingot-iron containing carbon
ranging from 01° to 01° free or practically free from blow holes and
impurities.
0'
will now describe the application of my process to the basic open hearth
system :-
take down the mixtures in ordinary use till the carbon and phosphorus have
fallen to or below 0.1 ° each, I then add to the oxidized and dephosphorized bath
or to the ladle or to both, cold or molten aluminium, ferro-aluminium or ferro-
chrome or commercial carbide of iron, but no spiegel and no ferro-manganese. I
melt the alloying metals or the commercial carbide of iron in crucibles, cupola, or
air furnace as is most convenient. I then cast the steel in ingot or other moulds in
the ordinary way but preferably in close topped, grouped ingot moulds.
Steel castings I run in the ordinary way but preferably I cast them into dry
sand compo moulds.
Ingot iron I cast as already described for ingots.
I will now describe the application of my invention to the Bessemer processes,
the objects to be attained in both being the same or similar, and attain these
objects in the following manner.
I blow down in an acid or basic lined converter, iron smelted from hematite,
magnetite, spathic or other carbonate ores in the ordinary way, I then add to the
blown bath or to the ladle or to both, cold or molten aluminium, ferro-aluminium
or ferro-chrome and for the production of steel I also add commercial carbide of
iron, but no spiegel and no ferro-manganese. I melt the alloying metals or the
commercial carbide of iron in crucibles, cupola, or air furnace as is most
convenient.
I then cast the steel into ingots or castings or ingot-iron as the case may be in
the manner already herein previously described.
By these processes I am able to produce purer steel ingots, steel castings, and
ingot-iron than is possible by existing processes, likewise freer from blow-holes.
The composition of the steel thus produced will be as follows:-
}
:―
The carbon to range from 0.1° to 20° the silicon to range from a trace
to 0-10 the manganese to range from a trace to 0:10
When necessary to
produce special steels the chromium to range from 0:10×
ג
to 3°
.
the nickel to range

page_text: °°
from 0.10 to 3° the tungsten to range from 1 to 12
arsenic and copper each not to exceed 0-10°
Aluminium not to exceed 1°.
2°
2°
°°
phosphorus an sulphur,
to 1)-1=
2
The composition of the ingot-iron thus produced will range from 0.01
in carbon all the other elements ranging in proportion as herein previo isly describe
for steel.
Having now particularly described and 2-certained the nature of my inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim -:-
(1) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel ingots by the
Siemens Martin or open hearth system or by any similar system where the open
hearth furnace of the Siemens type is employed, dispensing with the use of spiegel
or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon, by substituting for those materials aluminium
or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
(2) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel castings by the
Siemens Martin or open hearth system or by any similar system where the open
hearth furnace of the Siemens type is employed, dispensing with the use of spiegel
or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those materials aluminium
or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
(3) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of ingot iron by the
Siemens Martin or open hearth system or by any similar system where the open
hearth furnace of the Siemens type is employed dispensing with the use of spiegel
or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those materials aluminium
or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
(4) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel ingots by the
Siemens Martin or open hearth system or by any similar system where the open
hearth furnace of the Siemens type is employed, dispensing with the use of spiegel
or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those materials aluminium
or ferro-aluminium and adding chromium, nickel and tungsten any or all of them
either as metal or metallic alloy or direct from the ore substantially as and for the
purposes herein described.
(5) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel castings by the
Siemens Martin or open hearth system or by any similar system where the open
hearth furnace of the Siemens type is employed, dispensing with the use of spiegel
or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those materials aluminium
or ferro-aluminium and adding chromium either as metal, metallic alloy or direct
from the ore substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
(6) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel ingots by the
Bessemer system or modified forms of the Bessemer systems, dispensing with the
use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those
materials aluminium or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes
heroin described.
(7) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel castings by the
Bessemer system or modified forms of the Bessemer systems, dispensing with the
use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those
materials aluminium or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes
herein described.
(8) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of ingot iron by the
Bessemer system or modified forms of the Bessemer systems dispensing with the
use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those
materials aluminium or ferro-aluminium substantially as and for the purposes
herein described.
(9) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel ingots by the
Bessemer system or modified forms of the Bessemer systems, dispensing with the
use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those
materials aluminium or ferro-aluminium and adding chromium, nickel and tungsten

page_text: any or all of them either as metal or metallic alloy or direct from the ore
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
(10) In the acid or basic processes of the manufacture of steel castings by the
Bessemer system or modified forms of the Bessemer systems, dispensing with the
use of spiegel or ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon by substituting for those
materials aluminium or ferro-aluminium and adding chromium either as metal,
metallic alloy or direct from the ore substantially as and for the purposes herein
described.
Dated this 19th dove of Deconsher 1001
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.