IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CAST IRON FOR ITS CONVERSION INTO MALLEABLE IRON OR STEEL
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Berger Spence, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CAST IRON FOR ITS CONVERSION INTO MALLEABLE
IRON OR STEEL."
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 10th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Berger Spence
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th April 1869.
I, JOHN BERGER SPENCE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OP CAST IRON FOR ITS CONVERSION INTO MALLEABLE
IRON OR STEEL," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that method of obtaining malleable iron or
steel from cast iron which is now known as the Heaton process, or to
other processes in which nitrate of soda or other similar chemical salts
are used for oxidizing substances combined with the iron, and consists
in a method of using the said salt whereby its decomposition is to a

page_text: certain extent retarded. For this purpose I bring the nitrate of soda
or other salt into a more or less solid body before the melted iron is
allowed access to it. This solidification may be effected by pressure, by
fusion, or by other means.
The process of solidification may be effected in the chamber which is
used for receiving the converted iron or in separate moulds, and I
propose to bind the edges of the consolidated cake of the salt to prevent
its rising or the passage of the metal beneath it by bevilled edges,
projections, or other such means. In order when desired to weaken
the power of the chemical agents I add thereto any suitable diluents.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Berger Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BERGER SPENCE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Berger Spence, Her special
license that I, the said John Berger Spence, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Berger Spence, 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 TREATMENT OF CAST IRON FOR ITS CONVERSION INTO MALLEABLE IRON OR
STEEL," upon the condition (amongst others that I, the said Jolm
Berger Spence, 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 filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six

page_text: Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Berger Spence, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying Drawing, that is
to say-
My Invention relates to that method of obtaining malleable iron or
steel from cast iron in which nitrate of soda or other similar chemical
salts are used for oxidizing substances contained in the iron, and
consists in a method of using the said salts whereby their decomposition
is to a certain extent retarded. For this purpose I bring the nitrate
of soda or other salt into a more or less solid body before the melted
iron is allowed access to it.
The Drawing represents in detached view the vessel which is to
contain the nitrate of soda or other such salt. It consists of a metallic
casing a lined with fire clay or brick b, and the sides may be inclined
outward from the top as shewn at c.
Into this vessel A the nitrate of
soda or other salt is placed and fused therein, or it may be previously
fused and then poured into the vessel. When cold this salt will be
more or less in a solid block. The whole is then removed to the bottom
of the furnace and confined thereto by clamps or other convenient
means, the joints being luted. The molten metal to be converted
being now poured through an aperture in the furnace provided for that
purpose decomposes the salt in the vessel, but as that salt is in a solid
block in contradistinction to the disintegrated condition of that usually
employed such decomposition will be retarded and the products will
not to so great an extent be driven off without producing useful
effect.
The solidification of the salt may be obtained by fusion as above
mentioned, but that object may also be attained by pressure, and this
process may be effected in the vessel A. or in separate moulds to be
afterwards adapted thereto. As shewn in the Drawing the sides of the
vessel A are bevilled. The object of this is to prevent a rising of the
cake or the passage of the metal beneath it, but when this form of
vessel is adopted the salt must be fused therein or poured into it in a
fused state or the vessel must be made with a moveable part to admit
of the separately fused cake being adapted, and the like keeping down

page_text: of the cake may be effected by projections, but in place of the inclined
sides rectangular sides may be adopted. In place of using the nitrate
of soda or other salt alone it may be combined with other oxidizing
agents or diluents. I have not entered into the details of the process, as
they are well known.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above
in part recited Letters Patent, and for the purpose above set forth,
the use of the nitrate of soda or other salt alone or mixed with
other substances in a cake produced by fusion, pressure, or other
mcans.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Berger Spence, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Eighth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
ninc.