A Process for Facilitating the Fusion of Mild Steel and other Refractory Metals.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1893-Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LA COMPAGNIE ANONYME DES FORGES DE
CHATILLON ET COMMENTRY, of 19, Rue de la Rochefoucald, Paris, France.]
A Process for Facilitating the Fusion of Mild Steel and other
Refractory Metals.
I, HAROLD IMRAY, of 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to means of facilitating the fusion of refractory metals,
particularly mild steel containing a very small proportion of carbon. For this
purpose, a small proportion of zinc is added to the metal that is to be fused, this
addition being either metallic zinc or alloy of zinc with cast iron, ferro silicon or
other metals. The ferro silicon alloy is especially suitable for facilitating fusion
in a regenerative gas furnace. The zinc or its alloy may be added either to the
cold charge of metal, or when it has attained a cherry red heat. When the
melting takes place in pots or crucibles, the addition of the zine along with
the cold charge gives good results. A large proportion of the zinc volatilises, so
little being left in the fused metal that its quality is in no way affected. When
this process is applied in making castings of extra mild steel of pure quality, these
castings, which may be made without blow holes by known methods, can be
rendered capable of being welded if, a few minutes before pouring, a small propor-
tion of manganese be added to the molten metal. The addition of zinc as
described facilitates also the fusion of chrome steel, ferro chromes, and metallic
chromium.
Dated this fith dex of October 1809
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Process for Facilitating the Fusion of Mild Steel and other
Refractory Metals.
1, HAROLD IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a process for facilitating the fusion of very mild steel
and other refractory metals in a melting furnace, and in particular in the crucible
furnaces ordinarily employed for the melting of steel.
When mild steel has to be melted in ordinary crucible furnaces great difficulty
in melting is experienced as soon as the percentage of carbon has sunk to from
0.30 to 0.35 p.c. for 1000 kilos. and the fusion becomes practically impossible when
very mild steels are treated having 0.10 to 0.15 p.c. of carbon.
According to the present invention such fusion is rendered quite easy by adding
to the metal to be melted zinc in the proportion of say from 5 to 1 p.c.
The fusion then takes place as readily as with hard steel.
This addition can be effected either in the form of metallic zinc or in the form of
an alloy of this metal with cast iron, ferro silicon, or other metals.
This last named form is especially suitable for facilitating fusion in the open
hearth regenerative furnace.

page_text: The addition may be effected either at the time of charging the metal to be
melted, or when this has been raised to a cherry-red heat.
When the melting is effected in crucibles, the addition of metallic zinc at the
time of charging is convenient and gives good results.
The greater part of the zinc added is volatilised during the melting and there
only remains in the fused metal a very slight percentage, less than 0.10 p.c. which
quantity does not in any way interfere with the physical qualities of the steel.
This process is applicable with particular advantage in the manufacture of
castings of very mild steel by means of ordinary crucible furnaces.
These castings of very mild steel are in addition capable of being welded,
provided that the metal is prepared in the first instance from very pure materials
and is rendered free from blow holes by known means, and if there be added, some
minutes before casting, a suitable quantity of manganese such as from 0.60 to
0.70 p.c. the quantity being variable according to the conditions of the operation.
This capacity for welding enables such castings to be substituted for forgings.
The addition of zinc also facilitates the fusion in melting chrome steel in crucible
and other furnaces, as also ferro chromes and metallic chromium.
"'
When operating with open hearth regenerative furnaces, the process facilitates
the fusion of very mild steels and in particular the fusion of certain refractory
steels, for example chrome steels having a low percentage of carbon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 'I
claim is :-
The process for facilitating the fusion of very mild steels and other refractory
metals, wherein there is added to the metal to be melted a proportion of from
0.5 to 1 per cent. of zinc, either in metallic form or in the form of alloys, the
greater part of such added zinc being volatilised during the operation, substantially
as described.
Dated this 16th day of June 1893
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.