Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 16th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th July, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.
We ARTHUR BRIN of 59 Brompton Crescent in the County of Middlesex Engineer
and Chemist and LEON QUENTIN BRIN of 7 Rue Gavarni Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer and Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:
This Invention has for its object to manufacture high quality iron or steel direct
from impure iron immediately after it is obtained from the ore, or on being remelted
by treating the impure iron, whilst it is in a molten state so that it is freed from
impurities or matters which it is necessary or desirable to remove and to combine
therewith constituents whereby the metal is made into the desired quality of malleable
iron or steel. The said Invention consists in subjecting the metal which has been
separated from its ores in the blast furnace or melted in the Cupola or the like and
whilst it is in a molten condition to the action of purifying and modifying agents in
a gaseous form they being passed or forced into the molten metal by means of any
suitable apparatus in which they are contained or by which they are capable of being
supplied under pressure.
As soon as the metal is run from the furnace and whilst it is in a molten condition
oxygen is passed into it which has the effect of oxidizing the silicon carbon, manganese
and phosphorous. The carbonic oxide burns away and the silicon manganese and
Phosphorous combine with lime which is introduced into the molten metal and form a
slag. The sulphur is volatilized by the intense heat generated. The metal after this
To render it fit
treatment will generally be found to be pure or approximately so.
for rolling hammering or other working or for casting carbonic acid gas is passed
into the molten metal after the treatment with oxygen whilst to convert the metal
into any required grade of steel carbonic acid gas and hydrogen are injected into the

page_text: inolten metal. To gain a thorough combination of the carbon with the metal nitrogen
together with oxygen is passed into the .molten metal the nitrogen acting as an
agitator and incorporater and the oxygen maintaining the necessary heat.
If after treatment with oxygen as hereinbefore first described further purification be
desirable ammoniacal gas may be passed into the molten metal-A mixture of hydrogen
and carbonic oxide or Carburetted hydrogen may be used instead of pure hydrogen
and carbonic acid gas and carbon oxide may be used in place of carbonic acid gas-
When large quantities of metal have to be treated a converter may be used the gases
being passed into the molten metal by forcing them through the passages and tuyeres
through which air is now passed.
Dated this. 20th day of Santember 1886
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the said A. Brin and L. Q. Brin.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.
We ARTHUR BRIN of 59 Brompton Crescent in the County of Middlesex Engineer
and Chemist and LEON QUENTIN BRIN of 7 Rue Gavarni Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer and Chemist, 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 has for its object to manufacture high quality iron or steel direct
from impure iron immediately after it is obtained from the ore or on being remelted
by treating the impure iron whilst it is in a molten state so that it is freed from
impurities or matters which it is necessary or desirable to remove and to combine
therewith constituents whereby the metal is made into the desired quality of malleable
iron or steel. The said Invention consists in subjecting the metal which has been
separated from its ores in the blast furnace or melted in the Cupola or the like and
whilst it is in a molten condition to the action of purifying and modifying agents in
a gaseous form they being passed or forced into the molten metal as hereinafter
described.
The following is a description with reference to the accompanying drawing of the
hest means known to us of carrying the said Invention into practice. The molten
metal is run from the furnace A in which it is melted from its ores or from its state
of pig metal, and into the vessel ladle or other place B (see the separate section above
the general figure) which receives it, is inserted the end nozzle or tuyere C of a pipe c
from which branches c* controlled by valves c lead to containers D2, D3, D³, D, D³,
for the respective gases by means of which the molten metal is to be treated according
to this Invention. These containers are supplied with the gases under pressure by
means of a pump F from reservoirs or holders E¹ E' E3 E' E' whence outlets
controlled by valves e e e e e opening into the pipe e lead to the pump F. The
outlet pipe from the pump has branches f¹ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ respectively opening into
the containers D₁ D D D D and each is controlled by a valve fe. Sufficient gas
is first stored under pressure in each of the containers by opening the valves in the
passage leading from the holder thereof to the container, and working the pump until
the proper pressure of gas is attained in the container. This is done with respect to
each of the gases. The valves which were opened are closed as soon as the proper
pressure is obtained and so with each gas. There is thus stored a quantity of each
gas under pressure in the respective containers D¹, D³, D³, D', D³. As soon as the
metal is run from the furnace or Cupola A and whilst it is in a molten condition,
oxygen is passed into it (by opening the outlet valve of the container of Oxygen)
which has the effect of oxidizing the Silicon the Carbon the Manganese and the
Phosphorous. The carbonic oxide burns away and the Silicon Manganese and
phosphorous combine with lime which is introduced into the vessel B and forms a slag.
The sulphur is volatilized by the intense heat generated. The metal after this treat-
ment will generally be found to be pure or approximately so. To render it fit for

page_text: rolling hammering or other working or for casting, carbonic oxide gas is similarly
passed into the molten metal after treatment with oxygen as horeinbefore described.
To convert the metal into any required grade of steel Carbonic acid gas and hydrogen
are injected into the molten metal. To gain a thorough combination of the carbon
with the metal, Nitrogen is passed into the molten metal to act as an agitator to
thoroughly incorporate the carbon with the iron. As nitrogen if passed into the
metal alone would have the effect of rapidly cooling and solidifying it before the
required effect is obtained, oxygen is passed at the same time into the molten metal
which has the effect of retaining the metal in the necessary condition to allow of the
proper treatment with the Nitrogen.
After treatment with Oxygen as hereinbefore described if a further purification be
desirable this can be effected by passing ammoniacal gas into the molten metal.
A mixture of hydrogen and carbonic oxide or of Carburetted Hydrogen may be
used instead of pure hydrogen and carbonic acid gas, and Carbonic oxide may be used
in place of Carbonic acid gas. When large quantities of molten metal have to be
treated a converter may be used, and the gases may be passed into the molten metal
by forcing them through the passages and tuyeres through which air is now passed.
The
oxygen and nitrogen employed may be advantageously produced as described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 157 of 5th January 1885 granted to us the
said Arthur Brin and Léon Quentin Brin.
It will be understood that either one or more of the gases stored in the containers
can be passed into the molten metal by opening the outlet valve from the container
holding the required gas to the pipe c first closing any of the other valves which
may be open.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
First In the manufacture of iron and steel, purifying, improving, or modifying
the metal by passing into it, whilst it is in a molten condition and after it has been
removed from its ores, the purifying improving or modifying agents (any or all of
them) in a gaseous condition substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second In the manufacture of iron and steel, the passing into the molten metal
separated from its ores, of oxygen and subsequently of carbonic oxide gas or carbonic
acid gas and hydrogen or their equivalents substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third: The treatment of molten iron or steel with nitrogen together with oxygen
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 15th day of June 1887