IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Colborne Cambridge, of St. Philip's Iron
Works, Bristol, Implement Manufacturer, for the Invention of " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON."
Sealed the 20th October 1864, and dated the 29th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Colborne Cam
bridge at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th April 1864.
I, WILLIAM. COLBORNE CAMBRIDGE, of St. Philip's Iron Works, Bristol,
Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to expedite the fusion of the metal, whereby
a great economy of fuel is effected, and also to improve the quality of the
iron produced. To this end I take, say, two, three, or more sorts of iron ores
and crush them into pieces of about 2 inches diameter or less; to each ton
of such crushed ore I add about a bushel of slaked lime or any other suitable
flúx, more or less, according to circumstances. The crushed ore and flux I
mix intimately, and by reason of their being in direct contact with each other
the fusion of the ore is materially assisted, and a great economy of fuel is
ensured. By this Invention I am enabled to work advantageously in small
furnaces,and to tap out the fused metal as often as requisite, thereby leaving
the molten iron a much shorter time than usual subject to the action of the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: fire, and consequently producing a better and more even quality of metal. I
also purpose improving the quality of the iron and regulating the same at will
by mixing,in such proportions as the quality required shall dictate, from 7 per
cent. upwards (according as hardness or strength, or both, may be wanted) of
cast-iron horings and wrought-iron turnings or small pieces of either cast or
wrought iron with the said ores and flux; in either case, viz., whether I simply
employ the ores and flux, or use the further combination of cast and wrought
iron, the ingredients are to be mixed into a stiff mortar, like paste, with water,
which paste I subsequently form into lumps or bricks, and dry.preparatory to
submitting them to the action of the furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Colborne Cambridge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th October 1864:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
COLBORNE CAMBRIDGE, of St. Philip's Iron Works, Bristol, Implement Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give, and grant unto
me, the said William Colborne Cambridge, Her special license that I, the
said William Colborne Cambridge,my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Colborne Cambridge, 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 MANUFACTURE OF IRON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Colborne
Cambridge, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,shouldparti-
cularly 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 within six calendar months next and imme-.
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Colborne Cambridge,do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
The object of this Invention of improvements in the manufacture of
iron is to expedite the fusion of the metal.(whereby a great economy of fuel
is effected), and also to improve the quality of the iron produced. In carrying
out my Invention I take, say, two, three, or more sorts of iron ores and crush
them into pieces of about half an inch in diameter or less. A mixture of ores
which will be found to answer the purpose consists of one-third part of
calcined black and clay band ores, one-third part of brown hematite, and one-
third part of red hematite ore. To each ton of such crushed ore I add about
a bushel or a bushel and a half of slacked lime or any other suitable flux, more
or less, according to the nature of the ore, and I also add about equal
proportions of wrought and cast iron turnings, filings, borings, shavings, or
other small pieces of iron. The crushed ore and flux and the iron turnings
or borings are to be mixed intimately together with the addition of a sufficient
quantity of water to bring the materials into a thick pasty state. As the
ingredients are thus brought into direct contact with each other the fusion of
the ore in the furnace will be materially assisted, and a great economy of fuel
will be effected. By this Invention I am enabled to work advantageously in
small furnaces, and to tap out the fused metal as often as requisite, thereby
leaving the molten iron a much shorter time than usual exposed to the action
of the fire, and consequently I can produce a better and more even quality of
metal than when smelting, ores in the usual way. The quality of the iron-will
be improved by the addition of the iron filings or turnings, and its special
characteristics maybe regulated by mixing these substances with the ores and
flux in such proportions as the quality of iron required shall dictate. In
practice I find that from seven per cent. upwards (according as hardness or
strength, or both, may be wanted) of these cast-iron borings or filings and
wrought-iron turnings, or small pieces of either cast or wrought iron may be
advantageously added to the other materials. The ores and flux, to gether with
the cast and wrought iron turnings, filings, or borings, are to be mixed into a
stiff mortar, like paste, with water, which paste is to be subsequently formed
into lumps or bricks, and then dried preparatory to submitting them to the
action of the furnace. When bricks or lumps made in this manner are to be
used in the furnace in combination with broken ore I vary the proportions of
the iron filings; for instance, I take the fine waste screenings of brown or red
hematite ores, or both,mixed with slacked lime in the proportion of about one
and a half bushel of lime to the ton of pulverized ore, and I add thereto ten
hundredweight of cast-iron turnings, borings, or filings, and about the same

page_text: quantity of wrought-iron scrap or turnings or borings. All these materials
must be well mixed together, so as to form a thick paste, which may be
pressed into bricks or lumps, and when dried such quantities of these lumps
or bricks may be used with the lumps of ore in the furnace as the quality of
the ore may require.
Having now described my Invention of improvements in the manu-
facture of iron, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
mixing broken or pulverized iron ore with a suitable flux and water, so that
the ingredients may be brought into a pasty state and formed into bricks or
blocks with the addition of cast or wrought iron turnings, filings, borings,or
other small pieces of iron, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Colborne Cambridge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
!
THO. CAIRNCROSS,
No. 18, Kingsdown Parade,
Bristol.
W. C. CAMBRIDGE. (L.s.)