IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- PACTURE OF IRON."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Drake, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Coal Owner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF IRON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Drake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1864.
I, WILLIAM DRAKE, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Coal Owner, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the injection into the mass of iron in course of
manufacture in the puddling furnace of a liquid composed of the following
ingredients in or about in the following proportions, that is to say, to every six
gallons of water there is added one quart of bullock's blood, six pounds of
ground or pulverised charcoal, and half a pound of any variety of more or less
pure sulphate of baryta ground or pulverised, the variety preferred being
"cawk." The water preferred for the purpose is rain water, as being less
liable to be impregnated with mineral matters, and the charcoal preferred is
oak charcoal. The liquid mixture composed of the foregoing ingredients is
applied to the mass of iron in or about in the proportion of three parts of the
mixture to each three hundredweight of metal, the injection being effected
by means of a syringe or other suitable instrument as soon as the iron begins

page_text: to melt and the sulphur to rise. And it is preferred that the mixture should'
be thus applied by the injection of about half a pint of the same once in about
every five minutes, so as to admit of its being well worked into the iron with
a puddler's bar or rake until the iron becomes in a fit state for drawing out
of the furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William-Drake in the Great Seal-Patent Office on the
11th August 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DRAKE, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Coal Owner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Drake; Her special license that I, the said William
Drake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Drake, 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 IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Drake, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal;
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 Drake, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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):-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron" consists in
the injection into the mass of iron in course of manufacture in the puddling
furnace of a liquid composed of the following ingredients in or about in the
following proportions; (that is to say,) to every six gallons of water there is
added one quart of bullock's blood, six pounds of ground or pulverized.

page_text: charcoal, and half a pound of more or less pure sulphate of baryta ground or
pulverized, the variety preferred being "cawk." The water preferred for the
purpose is rain water, as being less liable to be impregnated with mineral
matters, and the charcoal preferred is oak charcoal. The liquid mixture
composed of the foregoing ingredients is applied to the mass of iron in or
about in the proportion of three quarts of the mixture to each three hundred-
weight of metal, the injection being effected by means of a syringe or other
suitable instrument as soon as the iron begins to melt and the sulphur to rise.
And it is preferred that the mixture should be thus applied by the injection
of about half a pint of the same once in about every five minutes, so as to
admit of its being well worked into the iron with a puddler's bar or rake until
the iron becomes in a fit state for drawing out of the furnace.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would remark that the mode of
applying the foregoing mixture to the mass of iron, and the instruments or
means used for the purpose may be varied; but I hereby declare that what I
claim as of my Invention, is the application to the mass of iron in course of
manufacture in the puddling furnace of a liquid composed of the ingredients
mixed in or about in the proportions berein-before stated; (that is to say,) with
every six gallons of water there is mixed one quart of bullock's blood, six
pounds of ground or pulverized charcoal, and half a pound of a sulphate of
baryta in a ground or pulverized state.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Drake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
GODFREY SHERWOOD BURDETT,
Solicitor,
Swinton,
near Rotherham,
Yorkshire.
WILLIAM DRAKE. (L.S.)