A CERTAIN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Haden Richardson, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "A CERTAIN
Sealed the 24th December 1867, and dated the 29th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Haden Richardson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th June 1867.
I, WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "A
CERTAIN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING IRON AND STEEL," to be as follows,
that is to say:-
This Invention, which has for its object the purification of iron when in the
liquid state for the purpose of obtaining an improved metal from which
castings may be produced, or from which steel may be manufactured, also the
cheapening the cost of as well as the time occupied in producing such metals
or materials is based upon a somewhat similar Invention, for which Provisional
Protection was granted unto William Haden Richardson, bearing date the
Third day of June 1867, and numbered 1645, and consists as follows:-After
the ore is reduced in the blast furnace the resulting metal is tapped off and

page_text: run into ordinary pig beds, where it is allowed to cool; the cold metal is then
remelted in any convenient furnace, from which it may be run into a puddling,
boiling, or other furnace or receptacle, either stationary or to which motion
is or can be imparted as the metal may be melted from the cold state in a
puddling, boiling, reverberating, or other furnace. When in the molten
condition a blast of atmospheric air of a pressure from 4 lbs. on the square
inch and upwards is introduced into its mass through a hollow or tubular
rabble or stirring rod of dimensions suitable to the mass of metal under
treatment. After which the remainder of the process is conducted similarly
to that set forth in the Provisional Specification herein-before referred to.
It is to be understood that under this Invention is included the application
of the hollow rabble and atmospheric blast for the manufacture of malleable
iron in a revolving or movable furnace in manner similar to that described
as applied to stationary furnaces under Letters Patent granted to William
Haden Richardson, bearing date December 4th, 1866, and numbered 3.189.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Haden Richardson in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 26th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Haden Richardson, Her special license that I, the said William Haden
Richardson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Haden Richardson, my executors, administrators, or 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 "A CERTAIN
IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING IRON AND STEEL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Haden Richardson, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Haden Richardson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which has for its object the purification of iron when in
the liquid state for the purpose of obtaining an improved metal from which
castings may be produced, or from which steel may be manufactured, also
the cheapening the cost of as well as lessening the time occupied in pro-
ducing such metals or materials, is based upon a somewhat similar Invention
for which Letters Patent were granted to me, bearing date the Third day of
June 1867, and consists as follows:-After the ore is reduced in the blast
furnace the resulting metal is tapped off and run into ordinary pig beds, where
it is allowed to cool; the cold metal is then remelted in any convenient furnace,
from which it may be run into a puddling, boiling, or other furnace or recep
tacle, either stationary or to which motion is or can be imparted; or the metal
may be melted from the cold state in a puddling, boiling, or reverberating
or other furnace. When in the molten condition a blast of atmospherio
air of a pressure of from 4 lbs. on the square inch and upwards is introduced
into its mass through a hollow or tubular rabble or stirring rod of dimensions
suitable to the mass of metal under treatment, after which the remainder of
the process is conducted similarly to that set forth in the Specification of the
Letters Patent herein-before referred to.
It is to be understood that under this Invention is included the application
of the hollow rabble and atmospheric blast, combined or not with steam, for
the manufacture of malleable iron in a revolving, reciprocating, or movable
furnace in manner similar to that described as applied to stationary furnaces
under the Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date the 4th day of December
1866, numbered 3189.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now
proceed to more particularly describe the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, that is
to say:
In manufacturing an improved metal from which castings may be produced
I remelt ordinary pig iron in any convenient furnace, from which it is dis-
charged into the hearth of a puddling, boiling, or other similar furnace, either
stationary or capable of having a revolving or reciprocating motion imparted

page_text: to it, or the iron may be melted in a puddling, boiling, or other similar fur-
nace; when in the furnace a blast of atmospheric air, either combined or not
with steam, is injected into its mass through a hollow rabble or stirring rod in
manner similar to that set forth in the Specification of the Letters Patent granted
to me, bearing date the 4th day of December 1866, numbered 3189, by which
the impurities are very rapidly driven off, and while still in the fluid state the
purified iron may be cast into ingot moulds for remelting for the purpose of
making improved castings, or in lieu of being formed into ingots it may be
directly cast into moulds on being discharged as purified cast iron from the
stationary, revolving, or reciprocating furnace.
In producing crude cast steel in any of the vessels herein-before referred to,
I stop the injection of the blast at a time when the decarbonisation is suffi-
ciently effected; and then cast the same into ingots for remelting for after use,
or in place of forming ingots the melted metal may at once be cast into proper
moulds.
In making steel of a better nature I completely decarbonise the iron by the
injection of air, combined or not with steam, and afterwards add melted or
unmelted speigel eisen or pig iron thereto in quantity sufficient to supply
the amount of carbon necessary for converting the purified iron into steel, after
which I finish the metal by balling, shingling, or rolling, the result of which
is that I obtain good malleable steel. In making improved malleable iron
in a revolving or reciprocating or other moveable furnace I apply a hollow or
tubular rabble or stirring rod attached by a flexible pipe to a blast receiver.
The rabble or stirring rod is introduced through the charging door or other
opening leading into the furnace. The blast is introdued as soon as the metal
is thoroughly molten, and is kept in until the iron is brought to the boiling
state, after which the charge is finished in its subsequent stages by the ordinary
operations of balling, shingling, and rolling.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into practical effect, I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as
the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First, the process of remelting pig iron, and afterwards finishing it in a
stationary, revolving, or reciprocating, puddling, boiling, or other furnace as an
improved cast iron or crude steel in contradistinction to taking the iron direct
in the melted state from the blast furnace and then converting it into
improved cast iron or crude steel.
Second, the process of manufacturing steel as herein-before described, by

page_text: remelting the pig iron in any of the furnaces set forth in place of taking the
iron direct from the blast furnace in a melted state and then converting it
into steel.
'Third, the application of the tubular rabble or stirring rod, or their
equivalent, for the purpose of injecting blast into molten cast iron in a
revolving, reciprocating, or movable furnace, to enable the carrying out of
the production therein of improved malleable iron, cast iron, or steel, in
the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Haden Richardson have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON. (L.S.)