IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Baur, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings and State of New York, in the United States of America, but at prescut
of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL."
ealed the 5th December 1876, and dated the 17th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Baur at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1870.
JULIUS BAUR, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and State of New
York, in the United States of America, but at present of 23, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
STEEL."
The present Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
steel, and relates to that class known as Bessemer steel, and my Invention consists
in directly reducing prepared chrome ore in the cupola furnace in combination with
spiegel eisen or ferro-manganese.
In the Specifications of former Letters Patent granted to me, dated August 21,
1869, No. 2501, January 29, 1876, No. 370, and January 31, 1876, No. 379,
I described the manufacture of chrome steel and a mode of reducing chrome ore
and producing the metallic alloys, ferro-chromium and ferro-chromium-manganium,
and also the manufacture of chrome manganium steel according to my Inventions.
The first of these Inventions was not applicable to the Bessemer process, whilst
the others, although applicable to the improvement of steel produced by the Bessemer
process, were expensive in their application to such process, as the chrome ore
required to be reduced in a furnace other than the cupola.
In producing Bessemer steel the usual charge of pig iron, namely 7 tons, is placed
in a cupola furnace, and when this metal has been decarbonized by the process now
well understood, there is a waste of about one ton of iron, and six tons are couse-
quently left to be recarbonized or converted into steel. The amount of spiegel
eisen or ferro-manganese required for this purpose according to my present Inven-
tion depends on the grade of steel to be produced.
The spiegel eisen is generally melted in a cupola furnace, and in carrying my
Invention into effect I proceed as follows:-Before the spiegel eisen is charged into

page_text: the cupola I take about 300 lbs. of finely ground chrome ore, 40 lbs. of crushed
anthracite, coke, gas graphite, or other refractory carbon, of about the size of peas,
20 lbs. of ground borax, and 15 lbs. of sand mixed well together; I then spread out
the whole and make some free space in the middle of the mass, and put about 20 lbs.
of fresh burnt lime into it; I then water the lime, and when it is well hydrated I
mix the whole together like mortar and form it into balls or bricks and then dry
them. Instead however of preparing the chrome ore as above described, a similar
result may be obtained by mixing the chrome ore with borax and tar or pitch. In
this case the borax should be burnt and pulverized, and the tar or pitch liquefied
by heat. The whole is well mixed, and when cold the mass is broken up and used,
as above described; the proportion of borax to the chrome ore is similar to that
above described. The cupola is then to be charged with a great amount of fuel,
preferably coke, and on the top of the fuel the balls or bricks are placed; on the
top of the so prepared chrome ore another layer of about 1 to 13 feet or more of
coke is charged, and on the top of this the spiegel eisen is placed. When the whole
charge is melted down I add the metal to the decarbonized iron and proceed as
usual.
"
The following points are of importance for the success of the operation :-First,
a heavy charge of fuel; second, the use of a borax flux ; and third, the presence of
spiegel eisen or an iron which is rich in combined carbon and manganese on top of
the prepared chrome ore; the latter assists the liquefaction of the reduced chrome
ore and prevents its oxidation, and without it no satisfactory result can be
obtained.
To produce a medium grade of steel I take to the above-mentioned amount of
7 tons of iron about 300 lbs. of chrome ore, prepared as described, and about 1120 lbs.
of spiegel eisen rich in carbon and manganese.
The amount of prepared chrome ore used may vary, but should not be less than
about 100 lbs., and not more than about 600 lbs. of chrome ore to 7 tons of pig iron.
The degree of hardness of the steel is regulated by the amount of spiegel eisen
added to the decarbonized metal, the chrome acting to impart toughness and
tenacity to the steel.
Practical experience has shown good results by the above-mentioned examples.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Julius Baur in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th April 1877.
JULIUS BAUR, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and State of New
York, in the United States of America, but at present of 23, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL,"
The present Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
steel, and relates to that class known as Bessemer steel, and my Invention consists
in directly reducing prepared chrome ore in the cupola furnace in combination with
spiegel eisen or ferro-manganese.
In the Specifications of former Letters Patent granted to me, dated August 21st,
1869, No. 2501, January 29th, 1876, No. 370, and January 31st, 1876, No. 379,
I described the manufacture of chrome steel and a mode of reducing chrome ore
and producing the metallic alloys ferro-chromium and ferro-chromium-manganium,
and also the manufacture of chrome manganium steel, according to my Inventions.
The first of these Inventions was not applicable to the Bessemer process, whilst
the others, although applicable to the improvement of steel produced by the Bessemer
process, were expensive in their application to such process, as the chrome ore
required to be reduced in a furnace other than the cupola.
In producing Bessemer steel the usual charge of pig iron, namely 7 tons, is placed
in a cupola furnace, and when this metal has been decarbonized by the process now

page_text: well understood there is a waste of about one ton of iron, and six tons are conse-
quently left to be recarbonized or converted into steel. The amount of spiegel eisen
or ferro-manganese required for this purpose according to my present Invention
depends on the grade of steel to be produced.
The spiegel eisen is generally melted in a cupola furnace, and in carrying my
Invention into effect I proceed as follows:-Before the spiegel eisen is charged into
the cupola I take about 300 pounds of finely ground chrome ore, 40 pounds of
crushed anthracite, coke, gas graphite, or other refractory carbon of about the size
of peas, 20 lbs. of ground borax and 15 lbs. of sand mixed well together; I then
spread out the whole and make some free space in the middle of the mass and
put about 20 lbs. of fresh burnt lime into it; I then add water to the lime, and
when it is well hydrated I mix the whole together like mortar and form it into
balls or bricks and then dry them. Instead however of preparing the chrome ore
as above described, a similar result may be obtained by mixing the chrome ore with
borax and tar or pitch; in this case the borax should be burnt and pulverized, and.
the tar or pitch liquefied by heat. The whole is well mixed, and when cold the
mass is broken up and used, as above described; the proportion of borax to the
chrome ore is similar to that above described. The cupola is then to be charged
with a great amount of fuel, preferably coke, and on the top of the fuel the balls or
bricks are placed; on the top of the so prepared chrome ore another layer of about
1 to 1 feet or more of coke is charged, and on the top of this the spiegel eisen or
ferro-manganese is placed. When the whole charge is melted down I add the
metal to the decarbonized iron and proceed as usual.
The following points are of importance for the success of the operation :-First, a
heavy charge of fuel; second, the use of a borax flux; and, third, the presence of
spiegel eisen or an iron which is rich in combined carbon and manganese on top of
the prepared chrome ore. The spiegel eisen or ferro-manganese assists the lique-
faction of the reduced chrome ore and prevents its oxidation, and without it no
satisfactory result can be obtained.
To produce a medium grade of steel I take to the above-mentioned amount
of 7 tons of iron about 300 lbs. of chrome ore prepared as described, and about
1120 lbs. of spiegel eisen or ferro-manganese rich in carbon and manganese.
The amount of prepared chrome ore used may vary, but should not be less than
about 100 lbs., and not more than about 600 lbs. of chrome ore to 7 tons of pig
iron.
The degree of hardness of the steel is regulated by the amount of spiegel eisen
added to the decarbonized metal, the chrome acting to impart toughness and tenacity
to the steel.
Practical experience has shown good results by the above-mentioned examples.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which I
carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, improving
the manufacture of that class of steel known as Bessemer steel by the addition to
the decarbonised iron in about the proportions named of ferro-chromium-manganium
obtained by the direct reduction in the cupola furnace of chrome ore in combination
with spiegel eisen or an iron rich in combined carbon and manganese according to
the process and in about the proportions substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Baur, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JULIUS BAUR. (L.S.)