Process for production of ultraclean steel

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF AN ULTRA-CLEAN STEEL CONSISTING OF THE STEPS OF (A) BLENDING FINELY DIVIDED CARBON WITH A FINELY DIVIDED IRON POWDER HAVING NO MORE THAN 0.01 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF SULFUR AND NO MORE THAN 0.01 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF PHOSPHORUS THEREIN, THE AMOUNT OF SAID CARBON BEING SUCH THAT THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF CARBON IN THE IRON POWDER AND OF THE ADDED CARBON POWDER IS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPLY THE CARBON AIM FOR THE ULTIMATE STEEL PRODUCT AND TO REACT WITH THE OXYGEN CONTAINED IN SAID IRON POWDER FOR CONVERSION TO CARBON MONOXIDE, (B) FORMING THE RESULTANT MIXTURE INTO A SHAPE AND OF SUFFICIENT COHESIVE CHARACTER TO BE ADAPTED FOR ULTIMATE USE AS AN ELECTRODE IN A CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE VACUUM ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE, (C) APPLYING SAID SHAPED IRON ELECTRODE AS THE ELECTRODE IN A CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE VACUUM ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE ADAPTED TO APPLY AND MAINTAIN A VACUUM IN THE MELTING REGION OF SAID FURNACE AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE MELT FROM SAID ELECTRODE IN A WATER-COOLED METAL CRUCIBLE, (D) THEREAFTER REDUCING THE PRESSURE IN THE ELECTRODE REGION OF SAID FURNACE TO A PRESSURE OF LESS THAN 100 MICRONS OF MERCURY, (E) PASSING CURRENT THROUGH SAID ELECTRODE AND THEREBY HEATING SAID ELECTRODE AND MAINTAINING A PRESSURE OF LESS THAN 100 MICRONS OF MERCURY UNTIL SAID ELECTRODE IS COMPLETELY MELTED AND COLLECTED IN SAID METAL CRUCIBLE, AND (F) COOLING AND REMOVING THE RESULTANT MELT INGOT FROM SAID CRUCIBLE, AND (G) THEREAFTER SHAPING SAID INGOT FOR ITS ULTIMATE USE WITHOUT ANY FURTHER CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE VACUUM MELTING.