IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wirt Chipman, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, now of 8 Southampton Buildings, London,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wirt Chipman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1882.
WILLIAM WIRT CHIPMAN of the City and State of New York, United States of
America now. of 8 Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL'
"
"
My Invention relates to the manufacture of iron and steel.
One part of the said Invention consists in an improved process or method
whereby I produce the steel directly from the oxide of iron ore instead of employing
the successive operations ordinarily practised whereby the ore is first reduced to
the condition of metallic iron and subsequently treated for the production of steel.
According to my Invention the desired result is obtained in one operation, in a
practical manner, and a very large economy is effected both with respect to time
and labour, experiment having demonstrated that the steel can be obtained from
the ore by my method in a period of from one to three hours, the time varying,
within substantially these limits, according to the nature of the ore, the dimensions
of the furnace, or other circumstances. It will be obvious to all persons acquainted
with metallurgical operations that this result is of the highest importance when
compared with the many operations heretofore employed to obtain the finished
product, steel, from the raw material, iron ore.
My said Invention consists essentially in melting the oxide of iron ore in a
furnace or crucible having its inner surfaces composed entirely or partially of
graphite or plumbago, a suitable degree of heat being applied in any ordinary or
well known manner. I prefer to build the furnace of ordinary brick or any other
suitable material, and it is made of any desired form or dimensions, these matters
varying according to particular circumstances; but I line the inner surfaces of the
said furnace with graphite or plumbago which may be applied in the form of
bricks, blocks, or slabs, or in the form of a paste. For convenience in moulding the
graphite or plumbago into the desired forms, or for facilitating the application
thereof to the furnace, it may be combined with clay or any other suitable material.
The effect of this lining is that, as the molten ore comes in contact therewith, a
portion of the carbon in the graphite combines with a portion of the ore which
thus becomes carbonized and falls to the bottom in the form of a button or lump
of metal. This operation continues with respect to successive portions of the ore
as they come in contact with the lining until the whole of the metal is thus

page_text: carbonized when it may be drawn out and will be found to have been converted
into steel. I am enabled to obtain the precise grade of steel required by allowing
the metal to remain at the bottom of the furnace for a longer or shorter time as the
metal will, while it remains in the furnace continue (up to a certain point) to
absorb or combine with carbon from the graphite with which it is in contact.
In any attempts which have heretofore been made with a view to the production
of steel directly from the ore great difficulty has been experienced by reason of the
uncertainty which exists with respect to the proper amount of carbonaceous
material, necessary to be mixed with the ore in order that the iron shall receive just
the proper amount of carbon that is to say neither too large nor too small a
quantity. But according to my said Invention this difficulty is entirely obviated
as the combination takes place naturally without the necessity for any supervision
other than the determination as to how long the metal shall remain in the furnace
which is a matter of the greatest simplicity.
One great advantage of my Invention consists in the fact that I am enabled to
entirely dispense with the use of a flux of any kind whatever, although in some
particular cases I may use fluxes if found desirable.
Although it is obvious that it will be preferable to use the graphite in the form
of a lining to a furnace constructed exteriorly of other material I may in some
cases use pots or vessels made entirely of graphite, or of this material combined with
some other material suitable for facilitating the moulding or working of the same
into the proper form.
It will be obvious that besides iron ore, slag, sand or any material containing
oxide of iron, and suitable for the purpose, may be treated by my Invention for
obtaining steel therefrom.
According to another process I manufacture steel or malleable iron direct from
pig or cast iron in an open hearth or reverberatory furnace without puddling.
This process consists essentially in passing over the surface of the metal in such
furnace a blast of heated air, the oxygen of which will combine with the carbon in
the iron and thus decarbonize the same to any desired extent. The metal resulting
from this process can be drawn off from the furnace in a molten condition and
thus all such operations as balling or shingling heretofore practised may be
entirely dispensed with and I therefore effect a very considerable economy in the
manufacture.
It is well known that in the puddling process the iron is exposed to the action
of the ordinary atmosphere at the upper part of the furnace but in this process the
subsequent operations of balling shingling or the like are necessary, which are, as
before stated, entirely obviated in my process.
It is also well known that according to another process air is blown in at the
bottom of the furnace for the purpose of decarbonizing the metal but according to
this process the whole, or practically the whole, of the carbon is extracted from the
metal and some carbon has to be subsequently supplied thereto in order to produce
the required grade of iron or steel by introducing some carbonaceous material such
as spiegeleisen; and moreover the plant required for carrying this process into
practice is very costly. But by my process ordinary apparatus of comparatively
small cost may be employed and I am enabled to effect the desired degree of
decarbonization at one operation.
In carrying this part of my Invention into practice the blast of heated air may
be provided in any desirable and well known manner but must be so directed that
it will enter the furnace at or above the surface of the metal therein. I prefer to
use as fuel in this process petroleum or some combination of the gases derived
therefrom as the use of such fuel enables me to govern or regulate the proper
supply of oxygen to the metal according to the grade of iron or steel desired to be
produced. Any well known apparatus for the utilization of such fuel may be
employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Wirt Chipman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1883.
WILLIAM WIRT CHIPMAN, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, now of 8 Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
My invention relates to the manufacture of iron and steel.
The said Invention comprises an improved process or method whereby I produce
steel, in one operation, directly from oxide of iron ore instead of employing the
successive operations ordinarily practised whereby the ore is first reduced to the
condition of metallic iron, which is subsequently treated for conversion into steel
According to my Invention the desired result is obtained in one operation, in a
practical manner, with great economy with respect to both time and labour,
experiment having demonstrated that the steel can be obtained from the ore by
my method in a period of from one to three hours, the time varying, within substan-
tially these limits, according to the nature of the ore, the dimensions of the furnace,
or other circumstances. It will be obvious to all persons familiar with metallurgical
operations that this result is highly advantageous when compared with that of the
operations heretofore employed to obtain the finished product, steel, from the raw
material, iron ore.
My improved method or process consists essentially in melting the oxide of iron
ore in a furnace or crucible having its inner surfaces composed entirely, or partially,
of graphite or plumbago, a suitable degree of heat being applied to the furnace or
crucible in any ordinary or well known manner. I prefer to build the furnace, of
brick or other suitable material, and it is made of any desired form or dimensions.
I line the inner surfaces of the said furnace with graphite or plumbago, which may
be applied in the form of bricks, blocks, or slabs, or in the form of a paste. For
convenience in moulding the graphite or plumbago into the desired forms, or for
facilitating the application thereof to the furnace, it may be combined with clay or
other suitable material. The effect of this lining is, that, as the molten ore comes
in contact therewith, a portion of the carbon in the said lining combines with a
portion of the ore which thus becomes carburized and falls to the bottom of the
furnace in the form of a button or lump of metal. This operation continues with
respect to successive portions of the ore as they come in contact with the lining
until the whole of the metal is thus carburized, when it may be drawn out and will
be found to have been converted into steel. I am enabled to obtain the precise
grade of Steel required by allowing the metal to remain at the bottom of the
furnace for a longer or shorter time, as the said metal will, while it remains in the
furnace, continue (up to a certain point) to absorb, or combine with, carbon from
the graphite lining with which it is in contact.
In any attempts which have heretofore been made with a view to the production
of steel directly from the ore, great difficulty has been experienced by reason of
the uncertainty which exists with respect to the proper amount of carbonaceous
material necessary to be mixed with the ore in order that the iron shall receive,
just the proper amount of carbon.
But by my said Invention this difficulty is entirely obviated, as the combination
takes place naturally, without the necessity for any supervision other than the
determination as to how long the metal shall remain in the furnace, which is a
matter of the greatest simplicity and will be readily understood by metallurgists.
One great advantage of my Invention arises from the fact that I am enabled to
entirely dispense with the use of a flux of any kind whatever, although, in some
particular cases, I may use fluxes if found desirable,

page_text: Although it is obvious that it will be preferable to use the graphite in the form
of a lining to a furnace constructed externally of other material, I may, in some
cases, use pots or vessels made entirely of graphite, or of this material combined
with some other material suitable for facilitating the moulding or working of the
same into the proper form.
It will be obvious that, besides iron ore, slag, sand or any material containing
oxide of iron, and suitable for the purpose, may be treated by my improved process
for obtaining steel therefrom.
According to another part of my Invention I manufacture steel or malleable
iron directly from pig or cast iron in an open-bearth, or reverberatory, furnace
without puddling. This process consists essentially in passing over the surface of
the metal in such furnace, a blast of heated air, the oxygen of which will combine
with the carbon in the iron and thus decarburize the same to any desired extent.
The metal resulting from this process can be drawn off from the furnace in a molten
condition, and thus all such operations as balling or shingling heretofore practised
are entirely dispensed with, and I therefore effect considerable economy in, the
manufacture of the steel or malleable iron.
It is well known that, in the ordinary puddling process, the iron is exposed
to the action of the atmosphere at the upper part of the furnace; in this process
the subsequent operations of balling, shingling or the like are necessary, but in
my improved process, as stated, the necessity for these operations is entirely
obviated.
It is also well known that, in another process heretofore employed, a blast of air
is introduced at the bottom of the furnace for the purpose of decarburizing the
metal; and the whole, or practically the whole, of the carbon is removed from the
metal, and carbon has to be subsequently supplied thereto by the addition of some
carbonaceous material such as spiegeleisen in order to produce the required grade of
iron or steel; and, moreover, the plant required for carrying on this process is very
costly. But, by my process, ordinary apparatus of comparatively small cost may
be employed and I am enabled to effect the desired degree of decarburization in one
operation.
In carrying this part of my Invention into practice the blast of heated air may
be supplied in any desirable and well known manner, but must be so directed that
it will enter the furnace at, or above, the surface of the metal therein. prefer to
use, as fuel, in this process, petroleum or some combination of the gases derived
therefrom, as the use of such fuel enables me to govern or regulate the supply of
oxygen to the metal according to the grade of iron or steel desired to be produced.
Any well known apparatus for the utilization of such fuel may be employed.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim.
First. The manufacture of steel from oxide of iron ore or from slag, or other
suitable material containing oxide of iron, by the employment of a furnace or
crucible whose inner surfaces are composed wholly or partly of graphite or
plumbago, substantially as above set forth.
Second. The manufacture of steel or malleable iron, in one operation, directly
from pig or cast iron in an open hearth or reverberatory furnace by the introduction
of a blast of heated air upon the surface of the metal in the furnace, as above set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Wirt Chipman have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twelfth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.