IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hays Wilson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL"
Sealed the 11th June 1880, and dated the 16th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hays Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1879.
JOHN HAYS WILSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL."
IMPROVE
According to my Invention I mix wrought iron or wrought iron scrap with
certain proportions of spiegel, ferro manganese, and charcoal, in order to produce
fine tool steel; for example, I melt in a suitable converter or crucible forty six
pounds of wrought scrap iron, two pounds of spiegel, one quarter of a pound ferro
manganese, and six ounces of charcoal, the result of which is the production of a
fine tool steel which may be improved in quality and rendered more homogeneous
by the addition of one half ounce of borax and one half ounce of chlorate of
potash, which are added during the conversion. The same effect can be obtained
by substituting for the chlorate of potash an equal portion of the nitrates, or nitrates
of the alkalis, or alkaline earths, or of similar chlorates, chlorites, or perchlorites,
iodates, iodites, or periodates, bromates, bromites, or perbromates.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Hays Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June
1880.
JOHN HAYS WILSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE CONVERSION OF IRON INTO STEEL."
" IMPROVE-
According to my Invention I mix wrought iron or wrought iron scrap with
certain proportions of spiegel eisen, ferro manganese, and charcoal, in order to
produce fine tool steel.
For example, I melt in a suitable converter or crucible,—
46 pounds of wrought scrap iron.

page_text: The result is the production of a fine tool steel, which may be improved in quality
and rendered more homogeneous by the addition of one half ounce of borax and
one half ounce of chlorate of potash, which are added during the conversion. The
same effect can be obtained by substituting for the chlorate of potash an equal
portion of the nitrates or nitrates of the alkalis, or alkaline earths, or of similar
chlorates, chlorites, or perchlorites, iodates, iodites, or periodates, biomates, bromites,
or perbromites.
The wrought iron or wrought iron scrap which I prefer to use is iron such as
borse shoes, nails, factory cuttings, and like wrought iron scrap, or scrap rails, or
bars, or like scrap. This iron, as before stated, I melt in a suitable converter or
crucible with certain proportions of spiegel-eisen, ferro manganese, and charcoal,
to which a small portion of borax and a small portion of chlorate of potash or its
chemical equivalent may be added. I would have it understood that it is not
essential that the borax and chlorate of potash or its chemical equivalent be added;
for example, for turnery tool steel I melt in a suitable pot, crucible, or converter
48 pounds of wrought scrap iron, 14 pounds of spiegel eisen, of a pound of ferro
manganese, 11 ounces of charcoal. The resulting steel is run into a mould or ingot,
and may be hammered out in the usual way. The quality of the steel is dependant
upon the quality of the wrought iron used for conversion into steel.
According to my Invention I melt the wrought iron, new or old, with certain
proportions, such as before defined, of spiegel eisen and charcoal, or ferro manganese
and charcoal, or a combination of spiegel eisen and ferro manganese with charcoal,
slightly varying the proportions according to the mildness or hardnesss of the steel
required.
Having thus defined my Invention, and shown how the same may be put into
practice, I do not claim generally the use of wrought iron in the manufacture of
steel, but what I claim as my Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid is,-
First. The use for conversion into that kind of steel which is known as crucible
steel, of wrought iron, or scrap wrought iron only, melted and mixed with certain
proportions of spiegel eisen, ferro manganese, and charcoal, to which may be added
borax and chlorate of potash or its chemical equivalent, the whole in or about the
proportions specified.
Second. The use for conversion into "crucible" steel of wrought iron or scrap
wrought iron only, melted and mixed with certain proportions of spiegel eisen, ferro
manganese, and charcoal, the whole in or about the proportions specified.
Third. The use for conversion into "crucible" steel of wrought iron or scrap
wrought iron only, melted and mixed with spiegel eisen and charcoal, in or about
the proportions specified.
Fourth. The use for conversion into "crucible" steel of wrought iron or scrap
wrought iron only, melted and mixed with ferro manganese and charcoal, in or
about the proportions specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hays Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN HAYS WILSON. (LS.)