Iron, Its History, Properties, & Processes of Manufacture - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 Excerpt: ...improvements in the manipulations of the forge. CHAPTER VIII. MR. BESSEMER S PROCESS. Since the above was written, an apparently new light has been thrown on the conversion of iron, by a paper read by Mr. H. Bessemer at the last meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Cheltenham in August last (1856). In this paper the author announces to the world the discovery of an entirely new system of operations for the manufacture of malleable iron and steel. The crude metal is converted, by one simple process, directly as it comes from the blast-furnace. We should detract from its clearness did we attempt to curtail the lucid description in which Mr. Bessemer has recommended his invention to the manufacturers and the public; we therefore give the account in his own words:--Mr. Bessemer states.that "for the last two years his attention has been almost exclusively directed to the manufacture of malleable iron and steel, in which, however, he had made but little progress until within the last eight or nine months. The constant pulling down and rebuilding of furnaces, and the toil of daily experiments with large charges of iron, had begun to exhaust his patience; but the numerous observations he had made during this very unpromising period all tended to confirm an entirely new view of the subject, which at that time forced itself upon his attention--viz., that he could produce a much more intense heat, without any furnace or fuel, than could be obtained by either of the modifications lie had used; and consequently, that he should not only avoid the injurious action of mineral fuel on the iron under operation, but that he would, at the same time, avoid also the expense of the fuel. Some preliminary trials were made on from 10 lbs. ...