IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Joseph and Richard Joseph, both of Rockleaze,
Stoke Bishop, near Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
Cooled the 20th January 1880 and dated the 24th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Joseph and Richard
Joseph at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July
1879.
DAVID JOSEPH and RICHARD JOSEPH; both of Rockleaze, Stoke Bishop, near
Bristol, in the County of Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
IRON AND STEEL."
The object of our Invention is to remove or reduce the quantities of phosphorus,
sulphur and silicon contained in the metal and thereby to improve the quality
thereof.
The Invention consists in subjecting molten iron or metal in Bessemer and other
converters, cupola and other furnaces, the Siemens or other open hearth furnaces, or
any other apparatus or vessel that may be used for holding molten iron or metal
during its manufacture, to the action of lime, limestone, or chalk, iron oxides, pure
or containing other substances, oxides of manganese and chromium, salt, alumina
and fluor spar, either separate or two or more combined, in the crude state or roasted,
or fused and in a finely pulverized state, or slaked, either cold or heated, introduced
and forced into the molten iron or metal by the blast or current of air, whether that
ordinarily used or specially applied, and whether cold or heated.
The Invention may be used with any highly refractory lining in converters and
furnaces, but we prefer to use the same in connection with such as are composed of
lime as the predominating element.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Joseph and Richard Joseph in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th January 1880.
DAVID JOSEPH and RICHARD JOSEPH both of Rockleaze, Stoke Bishop, near
Bristol, in the County of Gloucester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
IRON AND STEEL."
This Invention refers to an improved process of subjecting molten iron or metal
in Bessemer and other converters, cupola and other furnaces, the Siemens or other
open hearth furnaces or any other apparatus or vessel that may be used for holding
molten iron or metal during its manufacture to the action of lime, limestone, or
chalk, or iron oxides, pure or containing other substances, oxides of manganese and
chromium, salt, alumina, and fluor spar, either separate or combined in the manner
substantially as hereinafter described. The agents employed are used in the crude
state or roasted or fused and in a finely pulverized state, or slaked either cold or
heated, introduced or forced into the molten iron or metal by the blast or current
of air, whether that ordinarily used or specially applied and whether cold or heated.
The object being to remove or reduce the quantities of phosphorus, sulphur, and
silicon contained therein, and thereby improve the quality of the metal.
The process of application which we find advantageous is as follows:-Having
ascertained the character of the metal or cast iron to be treated, more especially the
proportions of silicon, phosphorus, and sulphur contained in it, we prepare a scoria
or flux composed of the agents or substances above enumerated, or certain of them,
fused in a furnace adapted for that purpose; the fused substance is then run or
drawn out and when solidified is reduced or ground to fine dust by any suitable
machinery or other means, or if sufficiently liquid it may be produced in a granulated
state from the fused condition by blast. For the fusion of this scoria or flux we
employ any suitable furnace which may be adapted for the purpose, and which may
be heated either by coal, coke, or gas, and may have a sloping hearth for the
convenience of tapping or drawing out the fused scoria or flux. What is known as
a cinder bottom balling furnace is well adapted for this purpose, which may be lined
with iron ore, lime, or limestone.
In the composition of the scoria or flux we use iron ore or oxides of iron,
moderately pure, but generally preferring such as may contain a small percentage
of manganese, and to this we add as large a proportion of lime as can be made to
combine with it, the proportion of lime being somewhat less in weight than the
iron ore or oxides of iron, preferring such lime as may contain a small proportion of
alumina.
When the proportion of sulphur is high, say one per cent., we add some common
or rock-salt, say 3 per cent., more or less, of the metal treated, but this is not
essential if the iron ore contains sufficient manganese to ensure the removal of the
sulphur. Small proportions of the other substances or agents above mentioned
should be added according to the quality of the metal or iron ores operated upon,
also hammer slag, roll scale, and roll cinder to aid the fusion. The lime may be used
slaked, but limestone or chalk may be used instead of lime. It is preferable that
all the substances used should be in a state of coarse powder or fine gravel, but this
is not essential, and it is desirable that they should be well mixed before being
thrown into the furnace for fusion for more ready combination, but additions of
some of the substances will occasionally require to be made during the fusion.
In using the scoria or flux, which may be used either cold or heated, and forced
in with either cold or hot blast, we place the same in an iron hopper or cylinder, or
in iron hoppers or cylinders, placed over the blast pipe, each provided with a strong
airtight valve, or with a stop cock through which it is introduced into the blast
pipe and so through the tuyers into the molten metal (as has been proposed for
blowing in charcoal dust, &c.), and to ensure the discharge of the dust into the blast
pipe we may bring pipes with stop valves over the top of the hopper or hoppers,
so that the pressure of the air may force the dust into the blast pipe below;
one or more additional hoppers may be arranged which may contain charcoal or

page_text: other carbonaceous matter or carbonate of iron, or any of the substances above
enumerated.
In blowing in this scoria or flux when deemed desirabie, additions may be made
in a powdered form of any one or more of the substances enumerated according as
experience of the metal or mixture operated upon may indicate the necessity of so
doing; the additions may be mixed with the scoria dust or introduced through
separate hoppers.
In addition to the scoria or flux (unmixed or mixed with other substances) blown
or carried in by the blast a portion of the same materials may be thrown into the
bottom of the converter or other 'furnace, vessel, or apparatus employed and either
under or upon the molten iron, but we prefer the using of the same by forcing it in
with the blast.
In treating molten iron in Bessemer and other converters we commence to blow
in the scoria, &c., shortly after, say in about two minutes after, the operation of
blowing has been commenced, and ceasing shortly before the blowing is completed,
when spiegeleisen is added in the usual manner. The quantity required will have
to be regulated by the character or composition of the metal treated, varying from
five to fifteen per cent., more or less, of the metal acted upon.
This scoria or flux, either by itself or with additions of any of the other substances
enumerated, may be used in any Bessemer or other converter (vertical or tipping)
cupola refinery or other furnace, the Siemens or other open hearth furnaces,
revolving or stationary, or in any other vessel or apparatus that may be used for
holding molten iron or metal during its manufacture, whether the operation be
completed in one vessel or apparatus, or be commenced in one and completed in
another, and may be blown in with the blast, or a portion may be thrown into
the furnace or apparatus under or over the molten metal.
This process may be carried on with any refractory lining, but we prefer to use
the same in conjunction with linings composed of lime as the chief material.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that since the lodging of our Provisional
Specification we have found that it is not new to subject the molten iron or metal
to the action in furnaces or other vessels of the following substances forced in by a
blast of air in a crude form, videlicet, lime, limestone, chalk, oxide of manganese, salt,
iron oxides, or fluor spar, for the purposes of what we then thought to be our
Invention; we therefore wish it to be distinctly understood that we lay no claim
whatever to the use of such materials other than chromium and alumina when
employed separately or otherwise than in the form of a scoria or flux prepared as
above described, but we claim as our improvements in the manufacture of iron and
steel,-
First. The production and application of a scoria composed and prepared as
described in a powdered or granulated form, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Second. The use of a scoria or flux composed and prepared as described in a
powdered or granulated form, in combination with one or more of the other
materials or agents above mentioned, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said David Joseph and Richard Joseph, bave here-
unto set our hands and seals this Thirteenth day of January in the year of