Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 7th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
I, ROBERT ABBOTT HADFIELD, of the Grove, Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Steel Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the manufacture of a quarternary alloy of iron,
manganese, nickel and carbon, the iron forming the principal constituent. In carrying
out my invention the iron may be used in any desired and suitable form, as for
instance, steel-making pig iron, cast or wrought iron, steel or iron scrap, or a mixture
of any or all of these, and the process by which the same is subsequently treated is
not essential.
If the Bessemer or open-hearth process be used for manufacturing my alloy, I
carry on the said process in the usual manner until the iron has been substantially
decarburized and desiliconized, and then add the other constituents of the alloy,
preferably in a molten condition. Or I may produce decarburized and desiliconized
iron, or steel, in the ordinary manner, by any of the usual processes, and then add to
it the other constituents of the alloy. When the crucible process of steel making is
employed the special constituents of the alloy may be introduced at any stage of the
operation.
The manganese and nickel are introduced by the metals, or by alloys of the metals
themselves, or of mixtures containing such elements, in such proportions as will give
the required percentages of manganese and nickel. The manganese addition, for
example, may consist of ferro-manganese, preferably that containing a high percentage
of manganese, as for instance, the 80% material used in the manufacture of ordinary
steel. The nickel addition may be in the form of ferro-nickel, or what is known as
uickel cubes. These additions may also be made by a compound alloy containing all
these elements, but I prefer to add each constituent separately, as I thereby have
greater control over the result.
I prefer to introduce to the iron the additions in a heated or molten state, so that
after their incorporation with the iron the material may be ready to be run into ingots
or other desired forms. The subsequent treatment of the alloy, whether in castings or
forgings, is determined by the particular intended application of the product. I have
obtained good results with the following proportions that is to say, by adding to
79 pounds of decarburized and desiliconized iron, 6 pounds of 80% ferro-manganese,
and 15 pounds of nickel, the resulting steel or malleable alloy of iron containing
about 0.65% carbon, 5% manganese, and 14% nickel. But, obviously, these
proportions may be somewhat varied according to requirement.
I consider that within the following range of relative proportions of the constituen's
the best results may be obtained, viz. carbon up to about 1.5% manganese from about
3 to 15% nickel from about 4 to 25 °1

page_text: Steel or malleable alloy of iron made in accordance with my invention is very tough
and possesses great tensile strength, it can be forged and rolled, and it is suitable for
castings, or for steel that has to be forged, variation being made in its constituents.
according to the purpose for which it is to be used.
It inay be annealed in the usual manner, or it may be heated and quenched in water,
the latter treatment in some cases conferring very considerable toughness.
The hardness of my product varies according to the percentages of the constituents
which proportions may be varied to suit the exigencies of different cases.
The alloy is of high electrical and thermal resistance, practically non-magnetic and
if made with 5 per cent. of manganese and 14 per cent. of nickel or thereabout can as
compared with ordinary manganese steel be readily machined.
71 1
C A 11006
Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel or Alloys of Iron.
I, ROBERT ABBOTT HADFIELD, of the Grove, Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Steel Manufacturer, 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:-
It has been proposed to manufacture alloys containing iron, carbon, nickel, and
manganese but in suchwise that (so far as I am aware) the resulting alloy would in
each case be magnetic in character unless subjected to special treatment with
the view of rendering it non-magnetic. Now I have discovered that within the
following range of relative proportions of the constituents namely manganese from
about 3% (three per cent.) to 11% (eleven per cent.) nickel from about 8% (eight
per cent.) to 25% (twenty five per cent.) and carbon up to about 1.5% (one and a half
per cent.) quarternary alloys of iron, manganese, nickel and carbon can be produced
of high electrical and thermal resistance more or less suitable (according to the
proportions adopted within the limits indicated) for being machined or drawn into the
forin of wire, according to requirement as will be hereinafter explained. I find,
moreover, that such alloys are either practically non-inagnetic or else magnetic only to
a slight extent.
In carrying out my invention the iron may be used in any desirei and suitable
form, as for instance, suitably treated steel-making pig iron, cast or wrought iron,
steel or iron scrap, or a mixture of any or all of these, and some suitable process of
subsequent treatment being adopted, as I will now proceed to explain.
If the Bessemer or open-hearth process be used for manufacturing my alloy, I
carry on the said process in the usual manner until the iron has been substantially
decarburised and desiliconized, and then add the other constituents of the alloy,
preferably in a molten condition. Or I may produce decarburized and desiliconized
iron, or steel, in the ordinary manner, by any of the usual processes, and then add to
it the other constituents of the alloy. When the crucible process of steel making is
employed the special constituents of the alloy may be introduced at any stage of the
operation.
The manganese and nickel are introduced by the metals, or by alloys of the metals
themselves, or of mixtures containing such elements, in such proportions as will give
the required percentages of manganese and nickel. The manganese addition, for
example, may consist of ferro-manganese, preferably that containing a high percentage

page_text: of manganese, as for instance, the 80% (eighty per cent.) material used in the
manufacture of ordinary steel. The nickel addition may be in the form of ferro-
nickel, or what is known as nickel cubes. These additions may also be made by a
compound alloy containing all these elements, but I prefer to add each constituent
separately, as I thereby have greater control over the result.
I prefer to introduce to the iron the additions in a heated or molten state, so as to
may be
assist their diffusion, and after their incorporation with the iron the material
ready to be run into ingots or other desired forins. The subsequent treatment of the
alloy, whether in castings or forgings, is determined by the particular intended
application of the product. The following is an example of proportions with which
I have obtained good results in the production of an alloy of high electrical and
thermal resistance capable of being machined, viz. :-
By adding to 79 (seventy nine) pounds of decarburized and desiliconized iron,
6 (six) pounds of 80 % (eighty per cent.) ferro-manganese, and 15 (fifteen) pounds of
nickel, the resulting steel or malleable alloy of iron containing about 0-65% (decimal
sixty five per cent.) carbon, 5% (five per cent.) manganese and 14% (fourteen
per cent.) nickel.
The following are examples of alloys suitable for drawing into the form of wire or
tape, and affording extremely high electrical resistance.
(a) An alloy containing, besides iron 8% (decimal eight per cent.) of carbon, 5%
(five per cent.) of manganese and 13% (thirteen per cent.) of nickel.
(b) An alloy containing, besides iron, 90% (decimal ninety per cent.) of carbon,
5% (five per cent.) of manganese, and 15% (fifteen per cent.) of nickel.
(c) An alloy containing, besides iron, 90% (decimal ninety per cent.) of carbon,
5% (five per cent.) of manganese and 21% (twenty one per cent.) of nickel.
It will be observed that I make the alloys intended to be capable (as compared with
ordinary manganese steel) of being readily machined with 5% (five per cent.) of
manganese and 14% (fourteen per cent.) of nickel or thereabout.
Obviously, the foregoing proportions may (within the limits covered by my
invention) be somewhat varied according to requirement, it being understood that the
qualities and hardness of my product will vary according to the percentages of the
constituents.
Steel or malleable alloy of iron made in accordance with my invention is very tough
and possesses great tensile strength, it can be forged and rolled, and it is suitable for
castings,
or for steel that has to be forged, variation being made in its constituents
according to the purpose for which it is to be used.
It may be annealed in the usual manner, or it may be heated and quenched in
water, the latter treatment in some cases conferring very considerable toughness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. The bereinabove described manufacture of alloys of high electrical and thermal
resistance containing iron, carbon, manganese and nickel substantially in the
proportions indicated.
2. The improved alloys hereinabove described.