Manufacture of steel

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING STEEL, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CHARGING A STEEL FURNACE WITH METALLIC STEEL-MAKING INGREDIENTS AND INCLUDING IN SAID CHARGE SUBSTANTIALLY AS THE SOLE CARBURIZING, DEOXIDIZING-DEGASIFYING COMPONENT A CARBON-IMPREGNATED LIME PRODUCT PRODUCED BY CALCINING LIMESTONE, CRUSHING THE RESULTING LIME, TREATING THE RESULTING LIME PRODUCT IN LUMP FORM WITH AN EXCESS OF LIQUID BITUMINOUS MATERIAL AT TEMPERATURES OF THE ORDER OF 250* C. SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY TO IMPREGNATE THE PORES OF THE LUMPS WITH SAID BITUMINOUS MATERIAL; SAID BITUMINOUS MATERIAL BEING SOLID AT ORDINARY TEMPERATURES AND CONTAINING HYDROCARBONS AND UNCOMBINED CARBON; AND DRAINING OFF THE EXCESS BITUMINOUS MATERIAL TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT IN LUMP FORM HAVING THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORIGINAL LIMESTONE WITH FORM ABOUT 25 TO 35 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF SAID BITUMINOUS MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT ITS PORES IN A HIGHLY DISPERSED STATE; AND CONVERTING THE RESULTING CHARGE IN THE FURNACE TO PRODUCE A CARBURIZED STEEL.