Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Iron and Steel, and in the Utilization therefor of Waste Products.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 14th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Iron and
Steel, and in the Utilization therefor of Waste Products.
I, JOHN COLEY BROMFIELD, of 49 Selborne Road, Hove, in the County of
Sussex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture iron and steel from waste products
such as those now found in large quantities at tin-plate works.
According to my invention I take coal or coal dust, and the waste from tin-plate
or other works (that is the cuttings from the plates which are subsequently tinned
and the slag from the tips) and these are ground together in proportions of say
two tons of coal to one ton of waste, the proportions however varying according to the
quality of the coal employed, for in some cases half the quantity of coal is found
sufficient. Alumina may be added with calcium oxide or carbonate of lime when
much silica is found to be present in the waste. The coal and waste product thus
prepared are thoroughly incorporated by suitable machinery or otherwise a sufficient
quantity of liquid fuel baving been first added thereto, and to the product I also add
hydraulic cement, when the mass having been well inixed is made into blocks and
submitted to pressure and dried.
The blocks thus prepared are then coked in a retort or coking oven when they are
ready for the sinelting furnace, whereby I obtain from these blocks a metal from
which practically the phosphorus and other impurities are eliminated.
Dated this with day of Avant 1000
J. COLEY BROMFIELD.
By Brewer & Son,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Iron and
Steel, and in the Utilization therefor of Waste Products.
I, JOHN COLEY BROMFIELD, of 49 Selborne Road, Hove, in the County of
Sussex, Civil Engineer 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 :—
The object of my invention is to manufacture iron and steel from waste products
such as those now found in large quantities at tin-plate works.
According to iny invention take coal or coal dust, and the waste from tin-piate or
other works (that is the cuttings from the plates which are subsequently tinned and
the slag from the tips).
I grind coal or coal dust and the waste from tinplate works or a material
technically known as slag or a combination of these, to a powder in proportion of say
2 tons of coal to 1 ton of waste, but I do not confine myself to these proportions as
nuch depends upon the quality of coal used, in many cases half the quantity will be
found sufficient to mix with a ton of crushed waste. Alumina may be added with
calcium oxide or carbonate of lime when much silica is found to be present in the
waste, and I mix therewith petroleum or any other form of liquid fuel. The coal and
waste are thoroughly mixed and incorporated by machinery or otherwise with some
Din 8/1

page_text: of the petroleum or any other form of liquid fuel, this done I add to the product from
5 to 20 per cent. of some hydraulic cement such as Portland cement, carbonate of
lime, magnesian lime or calcium oxide, according to the nature of the waste to be
treated, the cement, liquid fael, coal dust and waste powder being well amalgamated
or mixed and incorporated, the mixture is then submitted to pressure.
The materials thus prepared are made into blocks or bricks in any convenient way
but preferably by a brick making or drain pipe machine in which the bricks cylinders,
cylindrical balls or other forms are submitted to great pressure. The bricks or
moulds thus made are dried artificially or otherwise. Silica and liquid fuel may be
added during the process of mixing where it is required to produce oxygen in the
retort. Sufficient liquid fuel must be added to make the mass plastic or semi dry.
The bricks or moulds thus prepared in the manner before described are then coked
in a retort such as the retort described in the Specification of my patent No. 5122
of 1881, whereby practically the whole of the sulphur and phosphorus is eliminated
from the said bricks or moulds while the whole of the materials of which, they are
composed are thoroughly united, bricks or moulds thus prepared are then suitable for
furnace use and I obtain a high class of metal from which practically the whole of
the phosphorus and other injurious and impure elements contained in the raw material
or crushed waste are expelled. When the bricks or moulds are only used as a fuel
for iron and steel manufacture the powdered waste is omitted from the composition.
The retort which I prefer is constructed of iron or other suitable material and in two
parts an upper and a lower part. The upper part of the said retort which I prefer to
make of fireclay which may be combined with lime (magnesium lime by preference)
projects up through the top of the furnace, and its mouthpiece is provided with a
Suitable lid or cover. The lower part which I prefer to be made in wrought iron, is a
continuation of the upper part and extending downwardly below the joint or juncture
forming a second chamber immediately below the upper and is provided with a
suitable lid or door opening sideways near the bottom so that the contents of the
chamber can be removed as required.
The said retort I make taper from the top so that the bottom end is wider than the
top for the more easily allowing the inaterial when coked to fall to the bottom.
The retort is charged or filled with the bricks or moulds before mentioned through
its mouthpiece, while the door at the bottom of the two parts is closed.
The charge
is coked, and then the said door is opened and the contents of the lower part are
drawn off to allow the contents of the upper part to descend into the lower part; the
said door may then again be closed and a fresh charge supplied to the upper part of
the retort. Previously to filling up the upper part I first charge the lower part with
cold coke on the furnace being lighted. While the second charge is being coked the
first charge is cooling in the lower part and when sufficiently cool can be removed
from the same. The second charge is then admitted to the lower part of the retort to
be drawn out of the side door at the bottom as a fresh charge is supplied to the upper
part and so on as long as the furnace is alight.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I am aware it has been proposed to
employ some of the ingredients before referred to in the manufacture of iron and
steel, it has also been proposed to employ them in a powdered state, it has also
been proposed to coke the materials, but I am not aware that the coking has been
suggested to be applied to the combination of materials which I einploy, neither am I
aware that the same or similar combinations of material which I employ have ever
before been employed, or suggested to be employed in the manufacture of iron and
steel, but I claim as ny improvements in or connected with the manufacture of iron
and steel and in the utilization therefor of waste products.
'
The preparation and combination of coal dust, crushed or powdered waste from tin-
plate or other works) that is the cuttings from the plates and the slag from the tips)

page_text: and liquid fuel, with cement or lime, and its formation by pressure into blocks, bricks,
cylinders, or other forms, and the subsequent coking thereof whereby the impurities
are eliminated from the metal, which metal in a pure or practically pure state is left
in the coke ready for the smelting furnace all substantially as herein described.
Dated the 13th day of May 1890.
J. COLEY BROMFIELD.