AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND COMPOSITION FOR TREATING IRON AND STEEL, AND ARTICLES MANUFACTURED THEREOF
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND
COMPOSITION FOR TREATING IRON AND STEEL, AND ARTICLES MANUFACTURED
THEREOF." A communication from abroad by Alphonse Muller de la
Mothe of 33. Boulevard Saint Martin. Paris, France.
Sealed the 2nd May 1862, and dated the 12th November 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
November 1861.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN AND COMPOSITION FOR TREATING IRON AND STEEL, AND ARTICLES MANUFACTURED
THEREOF," communicated to me from abroad by Alphonse Muller de la Mothe,
of 33, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to improve the quality and increase the
strength of iron and steel, and articles manufactured thereof; also in the case
of iron to render it more ductile, and in that of steel to restore it, if burnt,
and allow of its being soldered to iron without hammering. For these
purposes the iron, steel, or article is treated with a composition manufactured
or consisting of fat, oil, and garlic. The fat is preferably an animal fat. The

page_text: mode preferred is to bring the metal or article (to be treated) to a red heat,
and then immerse it completely in the said composition for as long and often
as required. The garlic should be chopped, minced, worked, or treated to
express its juice. The fatty matter preferred is sheep or goat fat, and par-
ticularly that contained in the covering of the kidneys. The oil preferred is
nut oil.
Common salt (chloride of sodium), hydrochlorate of ammonia, ammoniacal
salts, cyanides, and other substances may be added to the composition.
The following proportions are recommended for some cases:-50 parts fat;
50 parts oil; 8 to 10 parts garlic (if this is not quite ripe boil the mixture).
But these proportions may be varied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said
Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Michael Henry, 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
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND COMPOSITION FOR TREATING IRON AND STEEL, AND
ARTICLES MANUFACTURED THEREOF," communicated to me from abroad by
Alphonse Muller de la Mothe, of 33, Boulevard St. Martin, Paris, France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their bands 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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to improve the quality and increase the
strength of iron and steel, and of articles manufactured thereof. Its object
also, in the case of iron, is to render it more ductile, and in that of steel to
restore it, if burnt, and allow of steel being soldered to iron without ham-
mering. For these purposes the iron or steel or article manufactured thereof
is treated with a composition consisting of fat, oil, and garlic. The fat is
preferably an animal fat. The mode of applying this composition is to bring
the metal or article to be treated to a red heat, and then to immerse it in
the composition for as long a time and as often as required. The garlic must
be chopped, minced, worked, or treated so as to express its juice. The fatty
matter preferred is sheep or goat fat, and particularly the fat contained in the
covering of the kidneys. The oil preferred is nut oil.
Common salt (chloride of sodium), hydrochlorate of ammonia, ammoniacal
salts, cyanides, and other substances may be added to the composition.
The following proportions are recommended in some cases:-Fifty parts
fat; fifty parts virgin nut oil; eight to ten parts chopped garlic (if the garlic
is not quite ripe the mixture should be boiled). But these proportions may
be varied.
I now proceed to furnish further particulars as to the best mode of carrying
the Invention into practical effect. When the composition is manufactured in
the above-mentioned particular proportions, I should mention that the eight per
cent. of garlic is recommended when the garlic is very ripe and full of juice,
but ten per cent. if the garlic be fresh and not quite ripe. In the latter case
the mixture should be boiled for from two to three hours for the sap to
evaporate.
For the purposes of this Invention the fat of the male goat is preferable to
that of the female goat, and a very serviceable fat may be obtained by com-
bining the fat of the male goat and that of the female goat with sheep fat.
The finer, purer, and more tenacious the fat and oil used the better will the
composition be. The garlic is a main ingredient, but it must be combined
with fat and oil to render it sufficiently fluid for the purposes of this Inven-
tion; for otherwise its natural viscidity would prevent it from penetrating
into the metal, and render it unfit for use. The garlic may be combined with

page_text: the fat and oil at any time in the course of the manufacture, but it is best to
do so when the mixture is well melted or fused, as a more intimate com-
bination is thereby obtained. The quality of the composition becomes
improved by time. The addition of ammoniacal salts, &c. expedites its
effects. Some substances, such as carbonate of lime, must, of course, not be
added to the mixture, as they would spoil it.
In applying the composition the article to be treated should be plunged in a
red hot condition into the composition, and kept therein until the latter has
had full time to penetrate well into the body of the metal. The larger the
article the longer immersion will it require. The article may be taken out of
the mixture after a first immersion and immersed afresh, and this may be
repeated as often as desired, each immersion improving its quality.
Among the numerous advantages arising either directly or incidentally from
the employment of this composition, I may mention that it improves the
commonest kinds of iron and steel, and thus allows of the use of common
descriptions of iron for purposes to which the same had not hitherto been
adapted. It restores and even improves steel when the latter has been
scorched or burnt, even to ashes, by soldering or other causes, and cast steel
may thus henceforth be soldered to iron by merely using fire and applying
pressure; for, on afterwards immersing the soldered metals into the composition,
all traces of the burning will disappear, and henceforward hammers, punches,
sledge hammers, anvils, vices, and other tools may be safely faced or plated
with the finest cast steel, because if when so faced or plated they should
happen to be injured by burning, or various other causes, an immersion in
the composition will restore them to their previous condition. By the appli-
cation of the composition various other advantages may be obtained. Its use
will render railway rails more durable, fire-arms better and stronger, and the
iron employed for armour plated vessels more shot proof. It will improve
the temper of side-arms, and allow of the weight of chain cables being
reduced and their tensile force increased, and it will permit of railway carriage
wheels being lined or plated with steel, as more secure joints will be obtained
by soldering.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
restrict myself to any particular proportions of the ingredients to be used
in producing this improved composition, as those proportions may be
varied.
And I declare that I claim, first, the employment in manner herein-before
described of garlic, oil, and fat when used together or conjointly in the

page_text: manufacture of compositions for treating iron and steel, and articles manu-
factured thereof.
Second, the combination of garlic with oil and fat (whether with or without
other ingredient or ingredients) for the manufacture of a composition for
treating iron and steel, and articles manufactured thereof.
Third, the treatment of iron and steel and articles manufactured thereof
by immersing the same when in a red hot state (once or oftener) in a com-
position consisting of garlic, fat, and oil, with or without other ingredient or
ingredients.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME,
Patent Office,
.84, Fleet Street.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)