IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METALLIC OXIDES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
REDUCING METALLIC OXIDES."-A communication from abroad by Jacob
Reese, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abet at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1866.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS. AND APPARATUS
FOR REDUCING METALLIC OXIDES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a new and useful process of reducing the metallic
oxides, whether of iron or other metal, by deoxydizing the ore when reduced
to a liquid condition by fusion, and at the same time refining it, thereby
bringing it to a metallic state in a greater or less. degree of purity.
In describing the practical application of this Invention I shall confine

page_text: myself to its use in the manufacture of iron in its various forms of malleable
or wrought iron, semi-steel, cast steel, and crude or cast iron, without however
in any way limiting myself to such application. In reducing the ores of iron,
commonly oxides, to a metallic state, they are ordinarily exposed to a high
degree of heat in combination with a carbonaceous material in a blast furnace,
and the resulting carbide of iron is then subjected to a variety of processes,
such as puddling, and the pneumatic or "Bessemer" process, in order to
remove the carbon more or less entirely according as wrought iron or steel is
desired to be produced. In each of these processes there is a waste of fuel
and iron, and loss of time, arising from the fact that the ore is first deoxydized
and charged with carbon, and then by a second operation decarbonized by
the application of oxygen.
The present improved process is designed to effect the production of
malleable or wrought iron from the ore in the first instance by deoxydizing
the ore by means of carbon or hydrogen, or a mixture of these elements; the
carbon being exhibited in such quantity only as to produce the desired result of
removing the oxygen without carbonizing the metal, while the hydrogen unites
with the oxygen of the ore and is burned, effecting no chemical change by
combination with the iron, and therefore 'producing no loss of metal'; or if
steel or semi-steel are to be made, sufficient carbon only is added, and that in
a known quantity, to effect the necessary change in the iron. By this
improved process both the puddling and pneumatic processes are dispensed
with, the object being to-deoxydize the iron and not to decarbonize it; and
instead of the capricious and cumbersome blast furnace, a process is substituted
which is easily controlled to produce the desired effect.
The improved process in addition to the saving of time and fuel which it
effects has the advantage of producing malleable or wrought iron in a liquid
and molten state, which may be cast in any required shape without having
first passed through the stage or condition of a carbide; and further that the
amount of carbon given to the metal may be regulated with great precision,
so as to determine the character of the resulting product.
I
Another great practical advantage of the improved process is that by the
use of hydrogen gas to deoxydize the ore there is little or no loss of metal,
because the hydrogen combines with the oxygen and passes off without
forming any chemical combination with the iron, while it also combines with
and carries off the sulphur, and perhaps other impurities, whereas in the
manufacture of iron by any other known process a serious waste of metal
occurs by the formation of cinder. In this improved process the iron ore is
first melted by the application of heat, and then carbon or hydrogen or 'a

page_text: hydrocarbon is forced through it while in a molten liquid condition in a
manner to be hereafter specified. For this purpose the iron ore is first
introduced into a cupola of ordinary construction, where it is subjected to a
sufficient heat to melt it, and is then run out through a tap hole and con-
ducting spout into a vessel which is termed the "reducer." This consists of a
chamber hung on trunnions, and bellied out on the side facing the cupola,
which chamber is closed at the bottom and open at top. Near the bottom &
partition is fixed, bhaving a number of openings acting as tuyeres, and from the
space below such partition a passage leads up in the side of the chamber and
through one of the trunnions thereof into a blowing cylinder, connected to the
trunnion by means of a pipe. The passage of the chamber is also connected
by means of another pipe to a receptacle containing the deoxydizing vapor.
Between these pipes and the hollow trunnion, and in connection therewith,
are, firstly, two gas meters for measuring respectively the quantity of air and
of gas or deoxydizing vapor forced into the chamber; and, secondly, a valve so
arranged that when the reducer is turned into a horizontal position, in which
it receives the melted ore from the cupola, the communication with the gas
and air passages is cut off, while if the reducer is turned into a vertical;
position such communication is open. The belly of the reducer is so formed
that when in a horizontal position the melted ore is contained. in the same, so
as not to rise up to the level of the tuyeres through which the gas and air
enter. When the reducer is in a vertical position, a large pipe or passage
leading from the upper part of the cupola serves to conduct the flames and
unconsumed carbon and hydrogen 'from the open end of the reducer into the
cupola to assist in melting the ore for the next charge.
From the above description it will be seen that the reducer is first turned
into a horizontal or nearly horizontal position to receive the charge of melted
ore; it is then turned into the vertical position, when the deoxydizing vapor
or liquid, as the case may be, at once rushes in through the tuyere holes and
mingles with the melted contents of the reducer, causing a violent agitation
of the metal' and a vivid combustion of the carbon and hydrogen with the
oxygen of the ore. This is continued until smoke is seen rising from the
reducer which will indicate that all the oxygen has been expelled:. If the
flow of deoxydizing vapour or liquid is suspended as soon as free carbon is
given off, the contents of the reducer will be malleable or wrought iron; if on
the other hand the supply of carbon be continued beyond this point, the iron
will take up a portion thereof, and according to the length of time that this is
continued, steel, semi-steel, or cast iron will be produced. Or instead of
continuing the supply of carbonaceous vapor or fluid for this purpose, a
J

page_text: quantity of previously melted carburet of iron may be introduced after the
complete deoxydization has been effected. If a carbonaceous or hydrocarbon,
vapour is employed as the deoxydizing agent, the liquid or solid carbonaceous.
material is first volatilized in a retort or boiler, whence it is forced into the
before-mentioned receptacle for deoxydizing vapour. If liquid hydrocarbons
are used these are forced by means of a pump directly into the reducer. It
be
may proper to state that in this case the lighter hydrocarbons, such as
benzine and gasoline, for which there is at present scarcely. any demand, are
preferable to the heavier hydrocarbons, because they contain a larger per
centage of hydrogen.
Although an arrangement has been. described for forcing in air from a
blowing cylinder together with carbonaceous vapor, yet this is only employed.
when it is desired to produce steel, in order to support combustion after the
oxygen has been expelled. If liquid hydrocarbon is employed, then water or
steam is used in place of air...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on.
the 19th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred. and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth. year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give. and grant unto me,
the said Charles Denton Abel, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Denton Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles Denton Abel, 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 MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING METALLIC
OXIDES," a communication to me abroad by Jacob Reese, of. Pittsburg, Penn-
sylvania, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that 1. the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors or adminis-
.

page_text: trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their,
hands and seals, should particularly 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 immediately after: the date of the said Letters:
Patent.
1
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles. Denton Abel, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what'manner the same is.
to be performed, to be particularly described and, ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention consist in a new and useful process of reducing the metallic
oxides whether of iron or other metal, by deoxydizing the ore when reduced to:
a liquid condition by fusion, and at the same time refining it, thereby bringing,
it to a metallic state in a greater or less' degree of purity.
.
In describing the practical application of this Invention, I shall confine,
myself to its use in the manufacture of iron in its various forms of malléable;
or wrought iron, semi-steel, cast steel, and crude or cast' iron, without,
however, in any way limiting myself to such application. In reducing the.
ores of iron, commonly oxides, to a metallic state, they are ordinarily exposed
to a high degree of heat in combination with a carbonaceous material in a
blast furnace, and the resulting carbide of iron is then subjected to a variety?
of processes, such as puddling, and the pneumatic or "Bessemer" process, in.
order to remove the carbon more or less' entirely, according: as wrought iron or
steel is desired to be produced. In each of these processes, there is a waste
of fuel and iron and loss of time, arising from the fact that the ore is first
deoxydized and charged with carbon and then by a second operation decar-
bonized by the application of oxygen:
.
The present improved process is designed to effect the production of malleable
or wrought iron from the ore in the first instance by deoxydizing the.ore by
means of carbon or hydrogen, or a mixture of these elements, the carbon being
exhibited in such quantity only as to produce the desired result of removing
the oxygen without carbonizing the metal, while the hydrogen unites with the
oxygen of the ore and is burned,.effecting no chemical change .by combination:
with the iron, and therefore producing no loss of metal, or if steel or semi-steel
are to be 'made sufficient carbon only is: added, and that: id a known quantity,
to effect the necessary change. in. the iron. By this improved process, both the
puddling and pneumatic: processes, are dispensed with, the object being :to
deoxydize the iron and not to decarbonize it; and instead.of. the capricious and

page_text: cumbersome blast furnace a process is substituted which is easily controlled to
produce the desired effect.
The improved process, in addition to the saving of time, and fuel which it
effects, has the advantage of producing malleable or wrought iron in a liquid
and molten state, which. may be cast in any required shape without having
first passed through the stage or condition of a carbide; and further that the
amount of carbon given to the metal may be regulated. with great precision,
so as to determine the character of the resulting product. Another great
practical advantage of the improved process is that by the use of hydrogen
gas to deoxydize the ore, there is little or no loss of metal, because the hydrogen
combines with the oxygen and passes off without forming any chemical com-
bination with the iron, while it also combines with and carries off the sulphur
and perhaps other impurities; whereas, in the manufacture of .iron by any
other known process a serious waste of metal occurs by the formation of cinder.
In this improved process the iron ore is first melted by the application of heat
and then carbon, or hydrogen, or a hydrocarbon is forced through.it while in
a molten-liquid condition in a manner to be hereafter. specified. The carbon
may be obtained from various substances and applied in several different ways;
but I prefer, as most convénient, the use of a hydrocarbon vapour; or. a liquid
hydrocarbon; and in further describing the practical application of this
.Invention, a particular substance or liquid will be specified, which is used or
from which the deoxydizing vapour is obtained, and a certain arrangement
and construction of apparatus for carrying the process into effect, but in so
.doing I desire not to limit myself.to these specified details, as various other
modifications may be employed without departing from the nature of this
Invention.
:
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the appa-
ratus used in this process; Figure 2 is a vertical elevation or side view thereof;
Figure 8 is a vertical elevation or end' view thereof, part of the apparatus
being shown in section; Figure 4 is an enlarged section through the axis of
one of the deoxydizing chambers or reducers in a. vertical plane at right angles
to the plane.of.. section of the reducer in Figure 2; Figure 5 is an enlarged
cross section through the hollow trunnion of the reducer showing. the valves
therein. In the several Figures like letters of referénce indicate similar
parts.
In the Drawing A is a cupola.of.the ordinary construction having a tap hole a
at or near the bottom for running out the melted ore into the déoxydizing
chamber or reducer B; C is a conductor or spout of wrought iron (lined with
fire-clay or other refractory material) which extends out from the body of the

page_text: cupola above the hearth, so that its mouth is directly over the open top of the
reducing chamber B when the latter is in a vértical position, the object of
this construction and arrangement being that the flame, together with the
unconsumed carbon and hydrogen and waste heat from the reducer B may be
utilized by passing into the cupola to aid in melting the ore for the next
succeeding charge. The reducing crucible B is made of any desired form,
that shown in the Drawing being preferred. It has an enlargement or belly
on one side facing, the cupola which is so constructed that when the reducer
is tilted over into a nearly horizontal position (as shown at the right-hand side
of Figure 3) the melted ore may be contained in the belly without reaching
up to the tuyere holes in the bottom of the reducer. The reducer B is made
of plate iron (say, about one-half inch thick) and is lined throughout with
fire brick or similar material so as to leave a space in the bottom of the
reducer of about six inches in depth between the lining and the iron casing. or
shell. The reducer is supported on trunnions 6, 6, one on each side, 'on suit-
able pillow blocks. One trunnion 6 is solid and the other b' is hollow and
connects with a passage c in the shell of the reducer, which passage extends
down one side and opens at the bottom into the space d in the lower part of
the shell. before referred to. This passage. is shown in Figure 4, which is a
vertical section in a plane at right angles to the plane of section in Figure 2.
The cavity of the hollow trunnion 6' also connects, by means of a valve e in
the collar f, with the pipe g which leads to the blowing cylinder D, and also
with the pipe which leads to the receiver E holding the deoxydizing vapour.
The valve e is constructed, as shown in Figure 5, in such manner, as that when
the reducer. B is in a vertical position the communication between the hollow
trunnion and passage c of the reducer B and the pipes g and h is open; and
when. the reducer is tilted to a nearly horizontal position to receive its charge
of melted ore the communication is closed (as shown in Figure 5). Between
the pipes g'and h and the valve e are placed two meters F, F, one of which
registers the quantity of gas or deoxydizing vapour which passes through it into
the reducer B, and the other registers the amount of air forced in with the
deoxydizing vapour by the blowing cylinder. These meters are of any ordinary
construction suited to measure and record' the flow of gaseous. bodies,, and need
no particular description. The lower end of the reducer B is provided with. a
removable cap fastened on so as to be.air-tight, and just above this cap j,
inside of the reducer at the base of the fire-brick lining, are placed five or six
(more or less) pipes or tuyeres of fire-brick k, the upper ends.of, which are
flush with the interior surface of the lining of the. reducer, and. below, which
is the space'd, before referred to, which connects with the passage c up the sile

page_text: of the reducer to the hollow trunnion 6. These tuyeres may be from: four to
six-inches in diameter and about eighteen inches long, and are perforated
with holes i.(from, five. to ten in each tuyere) which extend lengthways of
the.reducer and connect the space c. with the interior of the reducer. These
perforations i may be from
of an inch in diameter at top, and about
The reducer is furnished with
to
half an inch. in diameter at the lower end.
suitable machinery attached to the 'solid trunnion,bito turn it in its bearings
so as to tilt it over to a nearly horizontal position with its orifice or mouth
pointing to the tap, hole a of the cupola, to receive its charge of melted 'ore,
which is run in through a trough q. Intermediate between the reducer B and
the vaporizer G is. a receiver E, which is a receptacle of any convenient shape
made of plate iron, and adapted to hold about.five hundred.cubic feet of vapour
at a pressure of about fifteen. pounds to the inch, more or less. A safety
valye is attached to the vapour receiver E so as to allow the vapour.to.escape
when, the pressure is excessive.. The safety valve connects with a branch
pipe m which conducts the escape vapour to the cupola A, where it serves as
fuel and prevents the waste which would otherwise. ensue. The vaporizer is
made like a steam boiler, either vertically (like that marked G) or horizontal
like G¹), and has.a furnace under it for vaporizing the petroleum. contained
in the vaporizer. A pipe h¹carries the petroleum vapor to the receiver E:
The blowing.cylinder D (of ordinary construction) for .blowing a. blast of
atmospheric air. has a pipe 9 which branches so as to connect with two
reducers. The air pipes 9 from the blowing cylinder, and the vapor pipes
from the vapor receiver E, have each a separate valve or cock in, n¹, so as to
stop or regulate, the flow of air or vapor into the reducer in order that the
relative quantity.of each may be adjusted when a.mixed blast is used. In the
apparatus shown in the Drawing are two cupolas, each connected with a
separate reducer, receiver, and vaporizer, the apparatus being double, but one
blowing cylinder will serve both sets. A small force pump.H is placed in
some convenient position, the discharge pipe p.of which connects with the
hollow trunnion. 61 of each of the receivers B and B³, so as to pump the
liquid petroleum or other hydrocarbon used directly into the reducers through
the passage.c and tuyere holes i. When: this pump is used the cocks n, n³,
are closed, shutting off the connection of the vapor receivers E, EL.
Having thus described the construction of the apparatus employed I will
proceed to explain more fully its use and operation. It is well known that
both hydrogen and carbon readily combine, with oxygen and at a proper heat
ignite, and in so doing give out a further degree of heat. If, therefore, the
oxide of iron (iron ore) be sufficiently heated and then exposed to the action

page_text: of carbon in the shape of a carburetted- vapor or otherwise, the carbon will
decompose the ore and unite with the oxygen by vivid combustion; créating
an intense heat, and if in this process no more than the requisite amount of
carbon is employed to deoxydize the ore the result will be malleable iron in á
molten condition. If semi-steel or cast steel are required a slight excess of
carbon must be added beyond what the oxygen will consume, which excess
will combine with the iron, and the result will depend on--the surplus of
carbon thus employed. The same process is used with hydrogen gas, which
being forced through the melted iron ore combines with the oxygen of the
ore, which is thereby decomposed with vivid combustion and a high degree of
heat. The hydrogen- will not readily unite with the iron, and therefore causes
no loss of metal in the process, which results in the production of malleable
or wrought iron. The same result is produced by forcing the liquid - hydro-
carbon, such as petroleum or its vapour through the melted ore... Petroleum;
owing to its being easily vaporized and containing hydrogen as-well as carbon;
is pecularly adapted to the purpose. The peculiar advantage. resulting from
the use for the purpose above named of hydrogen gas or a hydrocarbon, in
either a gaseous or liquid state, is that while six atoms of carbon decomposé
and unite with sixteen atoms of oxygen, one atom of hydrogen combines with
eight atoms of oxygen, the former combination giving carbonic acid-(C, Q2)
and the latter water or steam (H, O,) bydrogen is therefore three times
as efficient for decomposing the ore and combining with its oxygen as the
carbon.
:
i
The operation of the improved process is as follows:-The oxide of iron
(ore) is placed in the capola A, together with such purifying ingredients as
may. be desired, and is there subjected to sufficient heat to melt it. The
melted ore is then run through the tap hole. a of the cupola into the open
mouth of the reducer B, which is tilted over for that purpose, as shown in
Figure 8. The iron runs into the belly of the reducer B without reaching
the tuyere holes i; but as soon as the reducer is raised. to a vertical position,
as shown on the left-hand side of Figure 3, the melted ore runs to the bottom
of the reducer covering the tuyere, holes i; and at the same time the deoxy
dizing vapor or liquid, as the case may be, rushes up through the tuyerè
holes i and mingles with the melted contents of the reducer, causing a violent
agitation of the metal, and. a-vivid combustion of. the carbon and bydrogen
with the oxygen of the ore, as. before explained.
.
i
As before stated, it is' proposed to use as the deoxydizing agent hydrogen gas,
or a hydrocarbon-vapor, or liquid hydrocarbon, such as petroleum, benzine,.or

page_text: gasoline; but whatever be the vehicle of carbon employed the effect produced
is due to the carbon or hydrogen or hydrocarbon entering into combination
with the oxygen of the ore and decomposing it, forming carbonic acid or
vapor of water, which pass off leaving the metallic iron free. This operation
is continued until the oxygen is all expelled, which will be known by the color
of the flame, arising from the mouth of the reducer and passing up into the
conductor of the cupola; for as soon as the oxygen is exhausted and the ore
ceases to yield oxygen to the carbon passed through it, smoke will begin to
issue from the receiver, thus giving the workman an unerring indication of the
condition of the contents of the reducer.. If the flow of deoxydizing vapor
or liquid is suspended as soon as free carbon is given off from the mouth of
the reducer, which indicates the extreme point of deoxydation of the metal,
the contents of the reducer will be malleable or wrought iron in a melted or
liquid condition, which may be poured out of the reducer into moulds of any
desired form, or into bars or slabs of suitable shape and size for rolling. If
the vehicle of, carbon used for deoxydation be continued to be passed through
the molten iron in the reducer after it is thoroughly deoxydized, the iron will
begin to take up and combine with some of the carbon, and steel or semi-steel
will be produced as may be required by stopping the supply when the proper
amount, as registered by the meter F has been given. If a full charge of carbon
is given to the metal the result will be cast iron. If it be desired to produce
cast iron the amount of carburetted vapour, or other vehicle of carbon which is
passed through the metal in the reducer after the first appearance of smoke is
carefully noted, and the process is continued until from three to five per cent.
of carbon has been imbibed by the deoxydized iron, according to the degree
of hardness desired to be given to the metal. A similar result may be
attained by stopping the supply of carbon to the iron as soon as it is
thoroughly deoxydized, and running into the metal in the reducer a sufficient
quantity of carburet of iron previously melted to furnish the per-centage of
carbon proper to the grade of steel which it is desired to produce.
It has been already stated that the hydrocarbon used as the deoxydizing
agent in this process may be forced through the melted ore in the reducer in
a liquid condition by means of the force pump H. The effect produced
would be substantially the same as that resulting from the use of hydrocarbon
vapor, excepting that as petroleum (which it is proposed to use) expands to
very many times its liquid volume when vaporized, the conversion of the
liquid into vapor within the reducer would produce an extremely violent
agitation of the metal, and should be done with care, and in a suitably strong

page_text: apparatus. In this case, however, the machinery or apparatus necessary
would be much simplified, as a force pump of small capacity would suffice.
It may be proper to state that the lighter grades of petroleum or its products,
such as benzine and gasoline, for which there is at present scarcely any
demand, are preferable as deoxydizing agents in this process to the heavier
bydrocarbons, because they contain a larger per-centage of hydrogen, while
the petroleum tar, which is now mere refuse, containing as it does a greater
proportion of carbon. may be used, when it is desired to add carbon after
deoxydation is complete, for which purpose hydrogen is useless.
It will be remarked that although a blowing cylinder forms, part of the
apparatus described in this Specification, the use of atmospheric air forms' no
part of the process as thus far described, and is not required in the manu-
facture of malleable or. wrought iron, semi-steel, and cast iron; but if the
finer grades of steel are to be made, the process of deoxydation already
described may prove too rapid for the proper refining of the metal. In-such
cases it may be desirable, after the metal is thoroughly deoxydized. and 'the
requisite per-centage of carbon is added, to continue the process still..further,
which may be done by adding, after the point just stated is attained, sufficient
air to the carbon vapor, or hydrocarbon-vapor, or hydrogen gas to support. Fits
conibustion, there being no longer any oxygen in. the iron for that purpose.
This is done by turning the cock n¹, and allowing a sufficient amount of air
to enter the passage c of the reducer to form a combustible mixed blast in
such proportion to the carbon as will keep up the necessary heat to refine the
steel, without either adding to or diminishing the amount of carbon held in
chemical combination with the metal, the air being employed, not to produce
any oxydation of the metal, but to supply by its union with the carbon of-the
blast the necessary fuel, and prevent the further carbonizing of the metal. If
the deoxydation of the ore is effected by the use of the liquid petroleum or
bydrocarbon, water instead of air may be mixed with it after the oxygen is
all expelled from the metal.
In first commencing operations with the before-described apparatus, some
carbonaceous fuel must of necessity be added to the ores in the cupola A, in
order to obtain the requisite degree of heat for the fusion of the ores, but as
soon as the reducers B get into operation the hot gases and flames passing
thence into the cupola will suffice to melt the further charges of ore without
any addition of carbonaceous material thereto.
Having thus described the improved process and apparatus" for reducing
metallic oxides, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, what I

page_text: '
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,
First, deoxydizing metallic oxides while in a molten or liquid condition by
means of hydrogen gas or a vapor of carbon, or of hydrocarbon, or a mixture
of such vapour or gas, so that these oxides or ores may be reduced to a metallic
condition without the use of additional fuel, substantially in the manner
-herein-before described.
Second, the use of liquid petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon in the
manufacture of iron or steel, and other metals, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before described..
Third, the use of hydrogen gas for the purpose of deoxydizing the metallic
oxides, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
Fourth, making liquid, wrought, or malleable iron from the ore by subjecting
the ore while in a melted condition to the action of hydrogen gas or hydro-
carburetted vapour, or a vapour of carbon, or a liquid hydrocarbon, substantially
as herein-before described..
Fifth, making cast steel by deoxydizing iron ore while in a melted condition,
in the manner herein-before described, and subjecting the pure-iron thus pro-
:duced to a vapor of carbon or hydrocarbon, or adding thereto a liquid carburet
or hydrocarbon until the requsite amount of carbon is added, substantially. us
-herein-before described.
Sixth, making cast iron by deoxydizing iron ore in a melted condition in
the manner described, and supplying, the requisite amount of. carbon in a
gaseous or liquid form, substantially as herein-before set forth..
Seventh, refining iron and steel by means of a' carbon in a gaseous or liquid
form to which, after the metal has been deoxydized thereby, a sufficient
amount of air; water; or steam is added to support the combustion of the
carbon thus added as fuel to the melted metal.
Eighth, passing the waste heat and unconsumed gases from the deoxydizing
chamber or reducer directly into the cupola or furnace for melting the ore..
Ninth, making a belly in the lower side of the deoxydizing chamber or
reducer, so as to hold the charge of melted ore away from the tuyere holes in
the bottom of the reducer until the reducer is raised to admit the deoxydizing
vapour or liquid, substantially as herein-before described.
Tenth, the use of a valve on one of the trunnions of the reducer, con-
structed substantially as herein before described, so as: to shut off the
deoxydiging, vapor or liquid from entering the reducer when in position to
receive its charge and to open the communication when the reducer is restored
to its position for working.

page_text: Eleventh, the use of gas meters in combination with the air cylinder and
vapor generator and reducer for the purpose of measuring the amount of.
deoxydizing vapor or air admitted to the interior of the reducing chamber
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
CHARLES D. ABEL. (L.s.)