MANUFACTURING IRON AND STEEL AND THE ALLOYAGE OF METALS, TOGETHER WITH PREPARING ORES FOR THE SAME."
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cyrille Jean Caumon (also known as John Ab-
sterdam), of the City of Toulouse, France, Scientific and Mechanical
Engineer, at present a resident of the City, County, and State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "MANUFACTURING
IRON AND STEEL AND THE ALLOYAGE OF METALS, TOGETHER WITH PREPARING
ORES FOR THE SAME."
"
Sealed the 5th June 1866, and dated the 23rd February 1866.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Cyrille Jean Caumon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 23rd February 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CYBILLE
JEAN CAUMON (also known as JOHN ABSTERDAM), of the City of Toulouse,
France, Scientific and Mechanical Engineer, at present a resident of the
City, County, and State of New York, United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "MANUFACTURING IRON
AND STEEL AND IN THE ALLOYAGE OF METALS, TOGETHER WITH PREPARING.ORES FOR
THE SAME," and have petitioned. Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the

page_text: same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the true and first
Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Cyrille Jean Caumon, do hereby.
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal
particularly describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement:-
The nature of my Invention consists,―
1st, in manufacturing iron and steel in vacuo by creating and maintaining
a vacuum within the interior of the furnace, pot, or retort containing the
metal.
2nd, in fusing iron, steel, or other metals with a blast produced by
creating and maintaining a vacuum within the furnace, pot, or retort
containing the metal.
3rd, in making steel and refining iron or other metals by evaporizing,
dilating, or burning up the impurities and carbon contained in said metals
by means of a blast produced by the creation and maintenance of a vacuum
within the furnace, pot, or retort containing the metal to be fused.
4th, in manufacturing low steel direct from crude or pig iron by means
of a blast produced by creating and maintaining a vacuum within the
furnace, pot, or retort containing the said metal.
5th, in extracting the sulphur, phosphorus, arsenic, and other impurities
from said iron or steel by distilling or sublimating the same in vacuo by
creating and maintaining a total vacuum within the furnace, pot, or retort
containing the fused metal.
6th, in manufacturing high cast steel by fusing blistered steel or other
carbonized iron or steel in a crucible, furnace, pot, or retort in which the
said metal is excluded from contact with the atmosphere by means of the
creation of a vacuum or partial vacuum within the furnace or other vessel
containing the said molten iron or steel.
7th, in manufacturing cast steel direct from wrought iron by fusing the
same directly in contact with some carbonizing substance, either separately.
or in combination with other carbonized iron or steel, by being excluded
from contact with the atmosphere by means of creating and maintaining a
vacuum or partial vacuum within the furnace or vessel containing the said
metals.
:. 8th, in manufacturing alloys, such as steel and silver, steel and platinum,
steel and zinc, steel and antimony, iron and zinc, iron and antimony, iron
and lead, also iron, nickel tin, copper, lead, antimony, and zinc; also alloys

page_text: of copper and tin, copper and zinc, copper and lead, and various other
alloys; or in melting gold or silver, or where some of the metals com-
posing the alloy are liable to oxydation or evaporation in melting in the
ordinary manner, I alloy them without oxydation or evaporation by
excluding the atmosphere from contact with the melting metal by creating
and maintaining a vacuum or partial vacuum within the furnace or other
vessel containing the melting metal.
9th, in annealing said iron, steel, metals, or alloys in a furnace or retort
by excluding the same from contact with the atmosphere, and thus anneal-
ing the said métals or alloys in vacuo by creating and maintaining a vacuum
or partial vacuum within the furnace, pot, or retort containing the said
metals or alloys.
10th, as a better protection against impurities, and to produce metals and.
alloys free from deleterious substances, I also roast and smelt the ores for
the aforesaid in the following manner, viz., by a current or blast of air
produced by the creation and maintenance of a vacuum within the furnace
or retort containing said ores.
11th, in extracting the impurities from the same in vacuo by creating
and maintaining a vacuum within the furnace or retort containing the said
ores.
In order to explain my process I have drawn the accompanying
diagrams of an apparatus in which my Invention can be carried out;
although I wish it understood that, while I do not confine myself to any
particular form of apparatus, yet I reserve the right to use an apparatus of
suitable construction..
In the said Drawings, which form a part of this Specification, Fig. 1
represents a steam boiler or generator; Fig. 2 represents a furnace or pot
fór manufacturing steel direct from crude or pig iron; Fig. 3 represents a
crucible, pot, or retort for manufacturing high cast steel; Fig. 4 represents
a smelting furnace for smelting the ores, and Fig. 5 represents a retort for
rcasting the same.
The pot or. furnace in which. I refine my iron or make my steel is con-
structed in the ordinary manner; and in order to create the vacuum within
the furnace or pot I introduce a steam-pipe A in the throat B of said pot
or. furnace, so that a jet of steam (or, if preferred, condensed air) may be
injected into said throat from a steam boiler or generator, the end of said
steam pipe being turned up in the throat in the direction of the mouth of
the furnace or pot. In the side of the furnace I make an opening. C near
the level of the surface of the melted metal in the furnace, and in place of

page_text: the ordinary tweer I make one or more openings through the wall of the
furnace.near the throat, forming channels between the outer casing and
the fire lining of the furnace, as seen at d, e.
In order to carry out my process I commence by laying a few chips of
wood in the bottom of the furnace, and after having filled the furnace to
its. throat with coke or charcoal. I light the fire through the orifice F, and
when the fuel is sufficiently kindled I open the stop-cock g in the steam
pipe, and let on the steam. By the action of the steam rushing through
the mouth of the furnace or pot a vacuum is created within the furnace,
causing the air to rush through the fuel by the orifice F and the flame to
rush out through the mouth of the furnace; but no flame escapes through
the orifice F, as is the case in forcing the air with the tweers. (The said
steam and flame issuing from the mouth of the furnace. may be made. to
pass through a tubular boiler, or around some other vessel containing
water, thereby generating steam by the heat of said steam or flame.) A
few minutes after the steam has been let on the coke or charcoal begins to
settle down, and then I throw in alternate charges of coke or charcoal and
crude or pig iron through the throat or mouth of the furnace, and when
the iron begins to melt similar charges are thrown in every ten or fifteen
minutes. Before the metal begins to melt, or when it commences to melt,
I close the orifice F with a lump of moist clay in the ordinary way (the
air being supplied through orifices and channels d, e), and as soon as the
level of the melted metal rises near the opening or large orifice C I open
said orifice and rake out the slag from the surface of the fused metal, and
when this operation is completed I reclose the orifice C, and I also close
the cock ; I then let on a higher pressure of steam, so as to produce a
greater vacuum in the furnace and cause the air to pass through the melted
metal with increased rapidity, which produces a more intense heat. By
these means the impurities of the iron are evaporated or dilated into gases,
which are carried away by the suction of the steam. The air, in passing
through the metal, also burns a portion of the carbon contained in the
metal, thus transforming the iron into steel. But in order that too. much
of the carbon contained in the iron (when making steel) should not be
consumed during the operation of burning the carbon and impurities.con-
tained therein I introduce sawdust, powdered charcoal, or any other
carbonaceous substance through the funnel of the air channel e, said saw
'dust or charcoal being driven through the molten mass by the vacuum
produced in the furnace, and thereby adding a constant supply of carbon
to the molten metal while the carbon contained in the metal is burning;

page_text: and thus, by adding a continuous supply of carbon, I am enabled to con-
tinue the blast through the molten mass until all the impurities contained
in the iron are burned or dilated.
After having extracted or dilated the impurities contained in the metal,
and having reduced the percentage of carbon to the proper standard, I
stop the supply of air altogether, as well as the supply of the carbonaceous
substance, by closing the cock of the air supply pipe e, and let on a still
higher pressure of steam, producing a more perfect vacuum within the
furnace or pot, for the purpose of better extracting the impurities, should
any remain, in the melted metal. When it is ascertained that the im-
purities have disappeared, by testing a sample at different stages of the
process, I again rake out the slag from the surface of the fused metal.
through the orifice C, and after the metal has been deprived of its im-
purities. I run it off, either by piercing the plug of the orifice F or by
inclining the furnace or pot with its mouth downwards, by turning the
same on its trunnions, and the ingots obtained by this process are drawn,
out and annealed in the ordinary way.
My process in making steel from crude or pig iron is the same as in.
refining iron, with the exception that I only leave in the iron the per-
centage of carbon required in making steel.
In order to make steel of a superior quality I run the metal off the
furnace in thin slabs, and break it into small fragments, assort it according
to the degree of carbon, and remelt it in the pot or furnace, Fig. 3, and
cast it again as desired.
In order to manufacture high cast steel by fusing blistered steel or other
carbonized iron or steel I introduce the same into the pot or furnace,
Fig. 3, after being previously heated to a red heat; I then open the stop-
cock i, and let the steam flow in the neck K, thereby creating a vacuum or
partial vacuum within the pot containing said blistered steel, and while
the steel is melting the steam is continually flowing or rushing through
said throat K, thereby excluding the atmosphere from contact with the
melting metal. And in this manner I manufacture cast steel direct from
wrought iron, by fusing the same directly in the same pot or furnace in
contact with some carbonizing substance, either separately or in combina-
tion with other carbonized iron or steel. After the said steel is melted in.
the said pot or furnace I draw the same off through the aperture L in the.
bottom of the same in the manner shown in said Figure. Immediately
after drawing the charge from said pot or furnace I réclose the aperture L
with a lump of fire-clay by means of a lever M, and I introduce another..

page_text: charge of metal through the man-hole N, whereby I obtain a continuous:
fusion or melting of the metal without removing the pot or furnace from
the fire-grate.
" In manufacturing alloys of such metals as vary in respect to their melting
points, or that are liable to oxydation or evaporation in fusing in the.
ordinary manner, I also introduce them into the second pot or furnace,:
Fig. 3, and melt and alloy them in vacuo in the same manner as in melting:
high cast steel, thereby preserving all their component parts from oxydation.
or evaporation. By this means I obtain a true or perfect alloy of all its
component metals. The said steel or alloy may be annealed in vacuo in
any suitable furnace by producing a vacuum therein, as I do in making.
high cast steel.
The second pot or furnace shown in Fig. 3 is simply a large crucible,.
having an orifice in its side near its bottom or in its bottom, and set
stationary in a grate furnace and having its mouth secured in fire-brick
with an opening through the bricks forming a flue in line with the interior.
of the crucible, and through this neck or flue I introduce the steam-pipe
A', the end of which turns up parallel to the said neck.
In order to produce purer iron or other metals than is now produced by:
the ordinary method of roasting or smelting ores I introduce the said ores
into a furnace or retort similar to that shown in Fig. 5, in which I mix
coal, wood, peat, or charcoal with said ores, and I next introduce the said.
ores through the man-hole O, and close the same again air-tight. Now, i
after having lit the fire in the grate P, and when the coal, peat, or wood:
in the retort is being charred, I let a flow of steam from the steam pipe as
escape through the exit pipe R, and by means of said rushing steam I
produce a vacuum in the retort, thereby distilling or sublimating the sulphur,
phosphorus, arsenic, and other impurities in vacuo, and the steam gases.
and other impurities, after passing through the exit pipe R, may be con-
densed by passing the same through an ordinary condenser connected with
the exit pipe, and then the gas may be used for illumination or other
purposes. But in order to produce a very intense heat in the retort I let :
on a heavy pressure of steam through the exit pipe R, and then open-
the cock of the air-pipe S, and allow the air to rush in through the red-hot
mass in the retort, burning away the coke or charcoal, and thus producing
a.better roasting of the ores. Now that the said operation is completed
I withdraw the charge, and repeat the same in a continuous operation. In.
this air-tight retort I roast several kinds of iron ores, after having been:
previously crushed and washed from their earthy matter, for instance, those.

page_text: ores having their mineral or earthy matter attached to them mechanically,
such as specular iron ores, rich black oxides, and several other rich ores,
which have their metallic grains detached from their earthy impurities.
These ores on being so roasted by my process take up a sufficient amount.
of carbon in giving out their oxygen that they may be immediately intro-
duced into my second furnace, Fig. 3, and may be directly fused into cast
steel after having been assorted according to their degree of carbonization.
The ores being now roasted and while red hot are introduced into the
furnace shown at Fig. 4 through the opening T, together with the fuel and
any required flux, and I reclose said opening. I next open the stop
cock u in the steam pipe A³ and allow the steam to rush through the
mouth of said furnace, thus producing a vacuum or partial vacuum within.
the said furnace, permitting the air to enter through the orifice V. For,
the better extracting the impurities contained in said ores I so regulate,
the supply of air by the stop-cock v', and the pressure of steam-through,
the mouth of the furnace W, so as to maintain continually a partial vacuum.
within said furnace, at the same time allowing the required supply of air.
to enter for smelting the ores contained in said furnace. This partial
vacuum facilitates the extraction, dilation, or evaporation of the sulphur,;
phosphorus, arsenic, &c. that may be contained in said ores.
It is a fact well known that it is exceedingly difficult to make steel direct
from crude or pig iron on account of the various impurities contained in
the iron, and the great difficulty in managing the process in purifying the,
metal, and in order to accomplish this important result a variety of methods.
have been tried, but none of those methods promise to obviate the.
difficulty. Some experimentalists have attempted to make steel direct from,
the pig iron in the process of puddling, and others have undertaken to
convert the iron into steel by simply melting pig iron in any suitable
furnace, and afterwards pouring the fused iron into any other suitable,
vessel, and blowing a powerful blast of air through the molten mass, so as
to burn away, the impurities with the carbon contained in the iron without
adding any additional fuel to the fused metal, that is to say, making the
iron support its own combustion from the carbon contained in the same.
without using any other fuel, but without entire success; and it is impossible.
by the ordinary process of puddling to produce fine steel or steel of a,
regular and uniform quality.
The process of making steel by simply blowing air through the molten
mass so as to burn the impurities with the carbon contained in the iron is,
an impossibility, because the said carbon is liable to be burned before, all

page_text: the impurities in said iron are burned, in which case more pig iron is added
to supply more carbon to the molten mass, while at the same time more
impurities are also added to the same, as the impurities are contained in
the pig iron from which it is intended to make the steel; and in forcing
air through the molten mass it cannot be really ascertained when the
impurities and carbon are burned while the air is forced through the
game.
Also, in making fine or high cast steel the blistered steel has to be
melted in closed crucibles so as to keep the fused metal out of contact
with the atmosphere, otherwise the air would burn away the carbon and
oxydize the metal. This process of making steel is very expensive on
account of the small quantity of metal that can only be melted in each
crucible, the operation requiring a great amount of labor, a great amount
of fire surface, and a great number of crucibles for melting large quan-
tities. But with my improvement I am enabled to obviate all the
above-named difficulties, as I shall explain in the following manner,
viz.,
1st, in fusing crude or pig iron with a current or blast of air produced
by creating and maintaining a vacuum within the furnace containing said
metal I obtain a well equalized distribution and pressure of air as well as
an equalized heat throughout the whole mass.
2nd, in producing a current or blast of air through molten iron by means
of creating and maintaining a vacuum within the furnace containing the
metal; the blast of air so produced enters the furnace and passes through
the molten iron of its own accord, which allows the examination or testing
of the molten metal so as to ascertain the degree of purity and temper
without stopping the supply of air in its progress.
3rd, by melting the iron under a vacuum or partial vacuum maintained
within the pot or furnace containing the fused metal I obtain an atmo-
spheric pressure around the exterior of said pot or furnace, pressing
inwards, which adds solidity to the same, and in allowing a continuous
supply of powdered charcoal or sawdust to be forced by the pressure of
the atmosphere through the whole molten mass, I am enabled to continue
the supply of air for burning, dilating, or evaporizing the impurities
without danger of consuming too much of the carbon contained in the
metal.
4th, in submitting the molten mass to a total vacuum continued after
the supply of air has been stopped I extract the remaining impurities
from the molten metal by distilling or sublimating them in vacuo.

page_text: 5th, I manufacture fine or high cast steel by a continuous operation in
excluding the atmosphere from contact with the melting metal by main-
taining a continuous vacuum or partial vacuum within the furnace or vessel
containing the metal, and I continue the operation of melting without
disturbing or removing said vessel from the grate furnace.
6th, I also alloy all kinds of metals together in vacuo in the same
manner that I manufacture fine or high cast steel without losing any of
their component parts, a matter of considerable importance in making
bronze, brass, &c., &c.
7th, in roasting and smelting the ores in vacuo or under a partial
vacuum in accordance with my Invention, I am enabled to obtain a purer
metal and at a much less cost than is obtained in the ordinary way, while
with my Invention I can manufacture. fine or high cast steel in a con-
tinuous operation without disturbing the vessel containing the melted
steel, and am enabled thereby to make pure low. steel at a mere. fraction
above the cost of manufacturing cast iron.
:
This is of considerable importance in the manufacture of cannon, making
rails, car wheels, shafts, and all kinds of railroad and steamboat work where
lightness of metal and great strength is required.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of furnace or apparatus
for carrying into operation my said Invention, provided that the peculiar
features thereof be retained, nor do I confine myself to the precise details
specified, provided that the peculiar character of my Invention be retained;
nor do I confine myself to any particular manner of producing the
vacuum, nor to any particular kind of apparatus for producing the
vacuum, whether it be produced by the direct action of the steam, com-
pressed air, suction pumps, or by any other apparatus, provided that
the vacuum be produced within the furnace, pot, or retort containing the
metals, ores, or alloys.
:
1st, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the above
described improvement in the manufacture and alloyage of metals, together
with preparing ores for the same.
2nd, manufacturing steel and iron in vacuo by creating and maintaining
a vacuum within the interior of the furnace or vessel containing the said
metals.
3rd, fusing iron, steel, or other metals with a blast produced by creating
and maintaining a vacuum within the furnace, pot, or retort containing
the said metals.
4th, in making steel, refining iron, or other metals, and evaporizing,

page_text: dilating, or burning up the impurities and carbon contained in said
metals; by means of a blast produced by the creation and maintenance of
a vacuum within the furnace, pot, or retort containing the metals to be
fused....
5th, the conversion of molten crude iron or of remelted pig or finery
iron into steel or into malleable iron by means of a blast produced by
creating and maintaining a vacuum within the interior of the furnace, pot,
pr. retort containing said metals.
6th, in extracting the sulphur, phosphorous, arsenic, and other impurities
from said molten metal by distilling or sublimating the same in vacuo by
creating and maintaining a vacuum or partial vacuum within the furnace;
pot, or retort containing the fused metal.
7th, the manufacture of fine or high cast steel by fusing blistered steel
or other carbonized iron or steel, either separately or in combination with
other carbonized iron or steel, in a crucible, furnace, pot, or. retort in
which the melting metal is excluded from contact with the atmosphere
by means of the creation and maintenance of a vacuum or partial vacuum
within the interior of said crucible, furnace, pot, or retort containing said
molten iron or steel.
8th, the conversion of wrought iron direct into cast steel in fusing the
iron directly in contact with some carbonizing substance, either separately
or in combination with other carbonized iron or steel, by being excluded
from contact with the atmosphere by means of creating and maintaining a
vacuum or partial vacuum within the interior of the crucible, furnace, pot,
or retort containing the melting metal.
9th, the manufacture of cast steel direct from roasted or carbonized iron
or by fusing the, same, either separately or in combination with iron or steel,
by. being excluded from contact with the atmosphere by creating and
maintaining a vacuum or partial vacuum within the interior of the furnace
or vessel containing the melting ore.
10th, the alloyage of metals (for instance, such as steel and silver, or
steel and other metals, iron and zinc, iron with antimony and other metals,
or iron with nickel, tin, copper, zinc, etc., or copper with zinc and other
metals, or copper with tin and other metals, and alloying and purifying
gold and silver and various other metals and alloys) in a crucible, furnace,
pot, or retort in. which said melting metals or alloys are excluded from
contact with the atmosphere by means of the creation and maintenance of
a vacuum or partial vacuum within the interior of said crucible, furnace,
pot, or retort containing said melting metals or alloys...

page_text: 11th, in roasting and smelting metallic ores in vacuo by creating and
maintaining a vacuum within the interior of the furnace or retort contain-
ing said roasting or smelting ores.
12th, the within-described new process of roasting and smelting metallic
ores in vacuo by creating and maintaining a vacuum within the interior of
the furnace or retort containing the said roasting or smelting ores.
13th, extracting the impurities from metallic ores by means of a vacuum
produced within the interior of the furnace, pot, or retort containing said
roasting or smelting ores.
14th, manufacturing steel or malleable iron from crude iron or remelted
pig or finery iron by melting said iron in any suitable furnace and convert-
ing the same into steel or malleable iron in any other appropriate furnace,
pot, or retort, by means of my within-described new process, according to
the true intent and meaning of the foregoing Specification.
In testimony whereof, I, the said Cyrille Jean Caumon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witnesses,
A. NEILL.
ROBERT B. WHITE.
CYRILLE JEAN CAUMON. (L.S.)