IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES OF IRON
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Kirkham, of Euston Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES OF IRON."
Sealed the 13th May 1864, and dated the 19th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kirkham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
November 1863.
I, JOHN KIRKHAM, of Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ORES OF IRON," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Treatment of certain Ores of Iron
relates to that class of ores of iron which are found in a divided state, or are-
capable of being reduced to a finely divided state with facility. Amongst
other ores of this class may be mentioned iron sand from Taranaki, Italy, and
other places, hematite ores, and some kinds of clay ironstone.
In carrying out my Invention I collect the waste scoria or slag as it flows
from blast, smelting, or other furnaces in which metallurgic operations are
carried on. The slag is drawn off whilst the operation of smelting or treating
the ores is being carried on, and whilst the slag or scoria is in a fluid or
melted state I introduce the iron sand or pulverized ore, and well mix and
incorporate the ingredients together. Instead of using the slag or scoria as it
runs from the furnaces, this waste slag may be cast into blocks and kept ready

page_text: for future use, when it must be remelted and the iron sand or pulverized ore
may be mixed and incorporated with the slag whilst in a molten state. The
slag, scoria, or cinder obtained from hammering, squeezing, or rolling puddled
balls or blooms of iron, or from any processes where slag, scoria, or cinder can
be obtained, may be used for the purposes of my Lavention. After the treat-
ment above described it will be in a fit state to be melted in cupolas or other
reducing furnaces, and whilst the metal is in a molten and fluid state I
remove it from the reducing furnace or furnaces, and I put it into another
furnace or furnaces, when it will be worked into the state of malleable iron of
the best quality and with great economy. I also introduce and mix granulated
iron ores into and with the refuse scoria or slag produced by smelting or other
furnaces whilst in a molten state. I then transfer and remelt the aforesaid
mixtures of slag and iron ores in suitable furnaces and produce malleable iron
therefrom of the best quality and with great economy.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Kirkham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
KIRKHAM, of Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Kirkham, Her special license that I, the said John Kirkham, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Kirkham, 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 TREAT-
MENT OF CERTAIN ORES OF IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Kirkham, 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

page_text: 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 J, the said John Kirkham, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Treatment of certain Ores of Iron"
relates to that class of ores of iron which are found in a divided state, or are
capable of being reduced to a finely divided state with facility. Amongst
other ores of this class may be mentioned iron sand from Taranaki, Italy, and
other places, hematite ores, and some kinds of clay ironstone.
In carrying out my Invention I collect the waste scoria or slag as it flows
from blast, smelting, or other furnaces in which metallurgic operations are
carried on. The slag is drawn off whilst the operation of smelting or treating
the ores is being carried on, and whilst the slag or scoria is in a fluid or
melted state I introduce the iron sand or pulverized ore, and well mix and
incorporate it with the molten slag. Or instead of using the slag or scoria as
it runs from the furnaces, this waste slag may be cast into blocks and
kept ready for future use. When used it is to be remelted, and whilst in a
molten state the iron sand or pulverized ore is to be mixed and incorporated
therewith. The slag, scoria, or cinder obtained from hammering, squeezing,
or rolling puddled walls or blooms of iron, or from any processes where slag,
scoria, or cinder can be obtained, may be used for the purposes of my Inven-
tion. After the treatment above described it will be in a fit state to be
melted in cupolas or other reducing furnaces, and whilst the metal is in a
molten and fluid state I remove it from the reducing furnace or furnaces and
put it into another furnace or furnaces, when it will be worked into the state
of malleable iron of the best quality and with great economy. The iron ore
I propose to melt in a cupola furnace which is heated by the application of
fuel externally as well as internally, as shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
The gases generated by the combustion of the fuel for heating the external
surface of the cupola will be drawn into and through the inner cupola con-
taining the iron to be melted, thereby increasing the temperature and to a
great extent freeing the iron from carbon; thus the iron will be refined and
may be run into the puddling furnace direct from the cupola, there to be
reduced into malleable iron of the best quality.
In the Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in vertical section, and Fig. 2 in sectional
plau (taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1), the furnace which I prefer to employ in

page_text: carrying out my Invention. The granulated iron to be melted is placed in the
furnace at A, together with the slag and coke, in the proportion of about five
parts of slag and two of coke to fifteen parts of the granulated iron. A fire
being kept up in the fire-place B, and blasts of air supplied thereto, the gases
of combustion are driven into the chamber C, which is situate immediately
under the sole of the furnace. From this chamber C the gases of combus-
tion rise through flies C*, and circulate around the cylindrical chamber or
inner cupola A containing the ore to be smelted, and ultimately enter that
chamber. Tuyère pipes also enter the chamber A to keep up the combustion,
and together with the gas from the fire-place B maintain an intense heat near
the bottom of the cylinder A. The metal as it melts deposits on the sole of
the furnace, and retains its fluidity during the accumulation of the metal,
owing to its being heated both below and above. When there is a sufficient
accumulation the furnace is tapped and the molten metal is run into a puddling
furnace, where it may be operated upon in the usual way.
Having now described the nature of my Invention of improvements in
the treatment of certain ores of iron, and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, I claim reducing granulated iron ores by mixing the
same with molten scoria or slag, and then submitting it to heat, in the manner
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Kirkham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN KIRKHAM. (L.8.)