AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR STEELIFYING IRON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sheehan, of Dunkirk, Ohautaugun
County, State of New York, United States of America, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR STEELIFYING IRON."
Sealed the 1st November 1872, and dated the 13th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sheehan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th May 1872.
I, THOMAS SHEEHAN, of Dunkirk, Chautaugua County, State of New
York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR STEELIFYING IRON," to be as
follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in a new process of steelifying
iron, substantially in the manner herein-after specified.
In my spid process I employ the following ingredients, viz., No. 1 is
common salt, No. 2 is sal soda, No. 3 is charcoal pulverised, No. 4 is
black oxide of manganese, No. 5 is common black rosin, No. 6 is raw
limestone.
I take of No. 1 45 pounds, and of No. 2 12 pounds,

page_text: iron, in size
I then take
and put
peas,
inch
pulverised fine, and as much water as will dissolve them and no more,
say 14 gallons of water in a tight barrel. I then take three bushels
of No. 3, hard wood or peat charcoal preferred, broken small and seived
through a No. 4 seive, and put the said charcoal in a suitable sized box
of wood or iron made water-tight. I then take of No. 4, 5 pounds, i
and of No. 5, 5 pounds, the rosin being pulverised very fine. I then
thoroughly mix the No. 4 and No. 5 with the charcoal in the said box.
I then take the liquid from the barrel containing No. 1 and No. 2, and
thoroughly wet the charcoal with the whole of the said liquid and mix
them well. The charcoal compound is then ready for use. I then take
a suitable box of wrought or cast iron, preferably wrought
fit for the work intended to be steelified, small or large.
of No. 6, raw limestone broken small about the size of
a layer of the broken limestone about 1½ inches thick in the bottom
of the said box. I then take a plate of sheet iron one-tenth of an inch
in thickness and perforate the said plate with ¼ inch holes one.
apart, and let the plate drop loosely on the limestone inside of the
box. I then put a layer of the charcoal compound on the top of the said
perforated plate two inches thick, then a layer of the work intended
to be steclified is put on this layer of the compound, and alternate
layers of iron and of the compound are put on until the box is full, care
being taken to finish with a thick layer of the compound on top of the
box: Also care should be taken not to let the work in the box come in
contact with the sides or ends of the box. I then put a suitable cover
on the said box, and lute it with fire-clay or yellow mud, and make a
1 inch hole in the end of said cover to let the steam escape while.
heating, then I put the said box in an open fire or furnace, preferably a
furnace), and subject the box to a strong heat from five to ten hours,
according to the size of the box and the bulk of iron intended to be
⚫ steelified, then I remove the pieces from the box one by one, and clean
each with a broom (taking great care not to waste the residue) and
chill it in a sufficient body of clear cold water, and there will be a
uniform coat of actual steel on the entire surface of the work to the depth
of 1/16 or 1/8 as may be desired according to the time it is left in the fire.
The longer it is left in the fire the deeper will be the coat of steel. I
then remove the residue unwasted in the box, and cool it with the liquid
of No. 1 and No. 2, made for the purpose with 20 gallons of water instead
of 14 gallons, as first used with the charcoal compound. The residue
must be cooled off while it is hot, on a piece of sheet iron or in an iron.

page_text: and it will be ready to use again.
stronger it will be for future use.
box made for the purpose, I then turn the residue into the supply box
The more it is used the better and
Nothing is to be renewed at the
successive batches but the limestone, and that will be good burned
5 lime. This process does not spring or scale the work or make it brittle
as in the old method of case-hardening.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Shechan in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 7th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SHEEHAN, of Dunkirk, Chautaugua County, State of New York, United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Sheehan, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Sheehan, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others' as I, the said Thomas Sheehan, 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 “AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR STEELIFYING IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Shechan, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals;
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.

page_text: the following statement:-
The nature of my Invention consists in a new process of steelifying
iron, substantially in the manner herein-after specified.
In my said process I employ the following ingredients, namely, No. 1
is common salt; No. 2, sal soda; No. 3 is charcoal pulverised; No. 4 is
black oxide of manganese; No. 5 is common black rosin; No. 6 is raw
limestone. I take of No. 1 45 pounds and of No. 2 12 pounds pulverised
finely and as much water as will dissolve them and no more, say 14
gallons of water in a tight barrel. I then take three bushels of No. 3,
hard wood, or peat charcoal preferred, broken small and sifted through
a No. 4 scive, and put the said charcoal in a suitable sized box of wood
or iron made water-tight. I then take of No. 45 pounds, and of No. 5
5 pounds, the resin being pulverised very finely. I then thoroughly mix
the No. 4 and No. 5 with the charcoal in the said box. I then take the
liquid from the barrel containing No. 1 and No. 2 and thoroughly wet
the charcoal with the whole of tho said liquid and mix them well. The
charcoal compound is then ready for use. I then take a suitable box
of wrought or cast iron, preferably wrought iron, in size fit for the
work intended to be steelified, small or large. I then take of No. 6,
raw limestone broken small, about the size of peas, and put a layer of
the broken limestone about 1½ inches thick in the bottom of the said
box. I then take a plate of sheet iron one-tenth of an inch in thickness,
and perforate the said plate with 1-inch hole's one inch apart, and let
the plate drop loosely on the limestone inside of the box. I then put
a layer of tho charcoal compound on the top of the said perforated
plate two inches thick, then a layer of the work intended to be steclified
is put on this layer of the compound, and alternate layers of iron and of
the compound are put on until the box is full, care being taken to finish
with a thick layer of the compound on the top of the box; also care should
be taken not to let the work in the box come in contact with the sides
or ends of the box. I then put a suitable cover on the said box and
lute it with fire-clay or yellow mud and make a ¼-inch hole in the end
of said cover to let the steam escape while heating. Then I put the
said box in an open fire or furnace, preferably a furnace, and subject
the box to a strong heat from five to ten hours, according to the size
of the box and the bulk of iron intended to be stcclified. Then I
remove the pieces from the box one by one and clean each with a

page_text: broom (taking great care not to waste the residue) and chill it in a
sufficient body of clear cold water, and there will be a uniform coat of
actual steel on the entire surface of the work to the depth of or ½,
as may be desired, according to the time it is left in the fire. The
longer it is left in the fire the deeper will be the coat of steel. I then
remove the residue unwasted in the box and cool it with the liquid of
No. 1 and No. 2 made for the purpose with 20 gallons of water instead
of 14 gallons, as first used with the charcoal compound. The residue
must be cooled off while it is hot on a piece of sheet iron or in an iron
box made for the purpose. I then turn the residue into the supply box
and it will be ready to use again. The more it is used the better and
stronger it will be for future use. Nothing is to be renewed at the
successivo batches but the limestone, and that will be good burned
lime. This process does not spring or scale the work or make it brittle,
as in the old method of case-hardening..
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
0
First. The combination of the ingredients composing the charcoal
compound, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination of the charcoal compound with the broken
limestone, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. The employment of a perforated plate when used as and for
the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sheehan, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two.
THOMAS SHEEHAN.. (L.S.)