IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE REDUCTION OF METALLIC OXYDS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Louis. Stanislas Chenot and Eugène Charles
Adrien Chenot, of Clichy-la-Garenne uear. Paris (Empire of France),
Chemists, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE
REDUCTION OF METALLIC OXYDS,"
Sealed the 5th September 1856, and dated the 7th July 1856.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filedbythe said Alfred Louis Stanislas Chenot
and Eugène Charles Adrien Chenot at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the 7th July 1856,
pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
LOUIS STANISLAS CHENOT and EUGÈNE CHARLES ADRIEN CHENOT, of Clichy:la:
Garenne, near Paris (Empire of France), Chemists, send greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS, IN
APPARATUS FOR THE REDUCTION OF METALLIC OXYDS," and have petitioned
Her Majesty to grant unto us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her
Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn declaration that we
are the first and true Inventors thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alfred Louis Stanislas Chenot and
Eugene Charles Adrien Cheñot, do hereby declare that the following Complete
Specification, under our band and seal fully describesandascertains the nature
Pie dl

page_text: of the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
Pure-ores, or such as are brought to be either completely or sufficiently-so
for reduction, are some of them liable to some previous operations that
facilitate the said reduction. These operations, which consist in roasting,
melting, subliming, imbedding, &c., are effected either by any known apparatus
or by means of the improved calefying apparatus described hereafter. Previous
to their reduction ores ought to be of such size as to yield a flux able to
prevent oxydation, at the same time it facilitates their fusion, and they should
be again brought back to suitable shapes and sizes by being imbedded either
with tar and resins, which not only render their reduction more easy, but in
some cases can effect it, or with clays, which being neither fusible nor
reducible at the reducing temperature of metal cannot be combined with it;
thereby fragments can be obtained, which being thus imbedded, are more
readily and easily reduced; any metallic oxyd raised to a sufficient temperature
in a suitable medium, brought in contact with a fit reducing agent, and
secured against all contrary reactions, will be readily reduced, and metal
will be easily obtained therefrom.
In high or blast furnaces iron ore is not reduced by oxyd of impure carbon
produced by combustion, which oxyd being mixed with azote injected by
blast pipes, and with carbonic acid, water, steam, and unconsumed air, con-
stitutes a neutral medium, but by the coal itself, which in this neutral
medium, and notwithstanding the influence of the same medium, still remains
'a sufficiently powerful reducing agent.
The consequence of this principle is the possibility of immediate calefaction,
either by injection of flames intothebulk to be reduced, or sometimes byburning
in the bulk the fuel mixed and blended with the oxyd, to reduce which latter
case-is-that-which-generally takes place, save the possibilityofwithdrawing the
charges, except also the mobility of the apparatus in the upper range of the
blast furnace and other-furnaces-used-for-the treatment of lead, tin, &c. The
first point alluded to is the more important, as it is characteristic, and allows
the preservation of the metallic sponge by the perfect solidity of the apparatus,
which admit no external air, but rather tends to exclude or emit the gaseous
products; hence,a perfect preservation in the apparatus. The metal produced
at the status nascens is withdrawn from the apparatus in its unfusible, fusible,
or volatile state at the reducing temperature, and in whatever state the metal
either in the solid, or liquid, or gaseous state, is secured from all alteration by
a neutral medium, or a medium in which no combustion takes place, or by a

page_text: reducing medium The various methods of reduction by injection of flames
may be thus summed up :-Immediate calefaction of the oxyd to be reduced,
and of its reducing agent, which calefaction is produced by injection of flames
or hot
gases into the reducing apparatus: However, an external calefac-
tion, and also the combustion of the calefying agent in the interior of the
apparatus, and into the bulk to reduce; may take place whenever this is
possible. Such a method of calefaction allows the free action of the reduc-
ing agent. Moreover, the flames or hot gases have no pernicious chemical
action that fuel might havewhen being brought in the solid state into contact
with the oxyd-to be reduced. Internal and immediate calefaction allows
the best use of fuel, it also prevents the waste of heat by radiation into
other apparatus, together with the hot gases or calefying flames; reducing
gases may be injected, or such other substances, which being more readily
oxydized than sponges will preserve them:
We shall now describe two different sorts of reduction apparatus: in one
the oxyd to reduce, and its reducing agent, are heated externally by the
flame, separated from the same by a retort, which allows no immediate con-
tact of the flame with the ores to be reduced; in the other the oxyd to
reduce, and its reducing agent, are heated by injection of flames directly,
at the same time they are heated sometimes externally.
of
For the external heating, without immediate contact of the flame with
the ore to be reduced, the general arrangement consists of a vertical retort
any capacity, heated externally by flues, within which the flame is made
to circulate; the oxyds are extracted from the retort, by any suitable power
as they are reduced.
The lower part of the coaling retort, R, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is provided with a
frame, the interior section of which is the same as the section of the cooling
retort. This collar-shaped frame K is so constructed as to be crossed by bars b,
The number of these bars
forming a grate upon which the charge lays."
depends upon the size of the apparatus, and the volume of the lumps to be
treated, as the diameter of the same bars depends on the quantity of the supply,
and on the width of the retort, and also of the collar-shaped frame K (Fig. 2,
Sheet 1). This frame K is provided with an interior flange r to keep the bars
up, which bars to be easily laid are to be guided in a rectilinear direction, or
in the line p, . The flanger may be then contrived at the joints of the
frame, but in such a manner as the necessary space for the laying of the bars
be preserved. A guide, with notches, grooves, or slots cut out in it, which
correspond-to-the-notches; grooves; or slots cut out in the panel p of the frame
Kis secured to or cast with the collar-shaped frame K. It is obvious that

page_text: this guide becomes useless if the collar K is thick enough for the bars b
being sufficiently guided; the use of this guide is, however, advisable, and
its arrangements should be such as shown at Fig. 3 (Sheet 1).
It will be well to pour into the capacity, resulting from the connexion of the
guide with the collar K, some soft or pulverulent substances, for the purpose
of preventing the admission of air into the retort, through the holes made for
the insertion of the bars. This being said, it will be easily understood that
our chief purpose is to employ as diaphragm a grate, consisting of a set of
bars that are made singly, and successively to penetrate through the matter
fed into the apparatus. The frame K, whatever its forms may be, must be cal-
culated, so as to allow of the insertion and taking out of the bars.
At Fig. 3 (Sheet 1) the bars are supposed to be laid, and a mode of
fastening the lower part of the apparatus is shown. This mode of fastening
(which may be anyother, viz., a slide valve, &c., clay mortar,&c.) is supposed
to be a water-closing or fastening, quite similar to that of the upper part, the
position excepted, and is supported during the intermittence of thedischarges
on the lower part of the collar K by any suitable means, by projections,secured
for instance, to the said collar. These projections or tongues o, fitting into
slots purposely contrived in an extension of the plug or closing apparatus T,
admit pins, by which the suspension of T is secured.
We shall complete what relates to the lower part of the retort R by specify-
*ing a discharging operation. Suppose the grate represented by the whole set
or part of the bars when laid, this grate supports the load (the plug T, or any
other contrivance, as above mentioned, prevents the intrusion of air). If the
closing apparatus T is taken off, and the waggon V is made to slide forwards
under the retort R, the said waggon becomes an extension of the retort; it is
constructed so as the lower part may be closed by a plate P, fixed beneath by
projections s, or any other contrivance, so that it cannot descend lower than
the said projections at the time it is to form a-fixed side or panel of the
waggon V, which time is that when the said waggon is loaded and about to
start for its destination, the waggon-V-being-then-placed-in-the-extension of
the retort R, a piston M, worked by any power, will raise the plate P, left
sufficiently loose, which soon reaches and fits against the bars b, when the said
bars are withdrawn, and the whole load rests upon the plate P, supported by
the piston M. As the piston M. descends the plate P will descend too, and
also the materials contained in the retort R, in quite a regular manner. When
the piston M is sufficiently lowered the plate P will meet the stop pieces and
be stopped, and as the said projections are fitted more up or down in the
waggon V, the plate will be stopped, so that only a desired fraction or portion

page_text: of the waggon can be filled. It is to be understood that the said stops & will
not prevent the passage of the piston. The waggon V being loaded, the bars
are replaced, the waggon drawn off, and the closing apparatus set. The
waggon may be fastened by any suitable means, but we commend the use
of hydraulic fastenings D).
,
What has been said is applicable to discharging waggons or boxes which
are made moveable. It is obvious, that if instead of the described waggon V,
a stationary box is used, which is an extension of the retort R, the same
arrangement is applicable as for the grate, the bars of which support the
load, only the stationary-box is-to be provided with lateral doors in order
to allow the withdrawal of the charge laid there, by means quite similar to
those before specified, and the lower bottom of the box is to act as piston.
As to the cooling part of the retort, we recommend a double casing
through which a current of air or rather of water is made to pass in order
to hasten the cooling of the materials reduced. Lastly, we renounce specially
and absolutely using an iron or cast-iron retort. It will then suffice to con-
struct with rammed clay or common fire-bricks a retort Y, to which and
laterally are to be connected the flues; such a retort is to be heated
externally through the flues n, by any furnaces F, feed with any fuel. The
oxyds to reduce will be fed into this retort Y, together with the reducing
agent, the whole in a suitable proportion, and at proper intervals according
to the progress of the fire and the nature of the ores to be reduced. The
reducing agent, if gaseous, may be introduced either through the upper or
lower end of the retort, as will be thought more proper.
The apparatus thus described may be applied to various purposes, viz., to
cementing, carbonizing, distilling, burning, drying, roasting, &c. &c. The
boiler C at Fig. 1, Sheet 1, shows the use of the waste flames for working
the load-raising apparatus; a. roasting box might also be laid between the
grates. The central section, Fig. 1, shows on the right a roasting retort F¹,
and on the left one of the two furnaces adjacent to the roasting box. In
case a gas should be used as reducing agent, the same boxes would serve
for generating these gases. For the arrangement specified for withdrawing
severally the charges superposed in the interior part of the retort, though
productive of the best results, another arrangement may, however, be sub-
stituted, as described in the precedent Patents, Chenot, and which may be
inodified in the following manner-Supposing the cooling retort ends at
its lower part by a capacity A, Fig. 5, Sheet 1, which ressembles the seat of
a stop-cock, in this capacity a key works which is cut out with several
recesses; each of these recesses is filled as it is successively brought beneath

page_text: the charge by each rotary motion of the key, and by the same rotary motion
is then made to pour out its contents when the key has turned to a certain
angle. Thus, by means of this apparatus, the cooling retort may be emptied
without any intrusion of air into the interior part of the apparatus, thereby
the abrupt descent of the materials inside being avoided:
In the annexed Drawings, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the
reduction apparatus. A, upper hydraulic fastening; B, inside casing (made
of fire bricks); Y, a capacity of the retort (the cooling retort); n, n, flues
for the passage of the flames and gases; C, boiler heated by the waste heat
of the gaseous products issuing from the flues n; n; F, one of the furnaces
serving to produce the heat required for reduction; F¹, arrangement of a
roasting furnace; R, cast iron. or sheet iron extension of the cooling retort.Y
(provided at need with a double casing not represented in the Drawings).
At the lower part of this retort the frame is arranged into which the bars
are made to slide; M, piston of the water or other press for supporting the
charges in the descent.
Fig. 2 shows a plan of the frame placed at the lower part of the retort R;
K, the frame; b, b, bars; ", interior notch or flange cut out of the frame
to keep up the extreme ends of the bars; P, p¹, parts of the frame forming
guides for each bar.
Fig. 3 shows in detail the section of the lower part of the coaling retort;
R, a part of the cooling retort; K, K, K, frame; p, p, part of the frame
forming guides; ", notch or flange cut out in the frame for admitting the
bars; b, b, bars; T, closing apparatus forming recipient for the water joint;
f capacity formed by the parts K of the frame, filled with soft or pulveru-
lent substances to prevent the introduction of air into the interior part of
the retort; o, projecting joints of the part T and. the frame K.
Fig. 4 is a section of the discharging waggon; V, the main part of the
waggon; D, water closing apparatus or-fastening-; P,.moveable bottom of
the waggon; S, S, projecting pieces on which the moveable bottom of the
waggon rests; M, piston of the hydraulic-or-other-press...
Fig. 5 is a section of the lower part of the cooling retort when the dis-
charge is supposed to be made by means of the stop-cock-like apparatus
above described; R, inside surface of the cooling retort, made bossy in
order to form the seat of the stop cock; E, key provided with four recesses
for admitting the oxyd or other material reduced; G, axis upon which the
rotary motion of the cock is given.
The second system of reduction apparatus may be thus summed up:
immediate calefaction of the oxyd to be reduced, and of the reducer or

page_text: reducing agent of that oxyd; calefaction produced by injection of flames or hot
gases(either reducers or neutral) into the reduction apparatus and the bulk to
reduce. It has been also specified that some times the fuel may be whole or
partly consumed in the materials, and that reduction, oxydation, and other
combinations by penetration(cementation, alloyage &c.), and also abstractions.
(distillation, roasting, carbonization, burning) or action from the interior to
the exterior were applicable to our principle.
Here the oxyd is charged at C (Sheet 2), with or without its reducer or
reducing agent, which, according to its state, may be introduced at any point
of C (suppose, for instance, the oxyd and its reducer introduced into C at H).
The upper part of C is either closed or open, the volatile products will evolve
directly through the mouth H, or will pass through a flue or syphon S into
condensing, roasting, burning, drying chambers. The calefying flames here
produced in the furnaces Fare,after previous saturation, if required, admitted
into the capacity C through a sufficient number of holes o. The same flames
or hot gases are drawn in by or injected into C, when desired, by any suitable
means, but we prefer injection, as the apparatus being more saturated with
gases are less accessible to perturbations.
The furnaces F have this particular, that the layers K. above them come
all carbonized into the furnace, and that the products from distillation are
necessarily brought over the same, there to be decomposed. In the Sheet 2,
one of our syphon apparatus is shown in which the blast pipe is fitted into the
branch B as much as into that A (the furnace by-the-bye might be entirely
in Band A. only be a distilling, carbonizing apparatus to supply B with coke
and volatile substances). These furnaces are not, besides, exclusive of any
others, and, for instance, the consumed products might be thrown at Z directly
together with any fuel or matter whatever.
The blast pipe T might also inject directly into C the fluids necessary to
combustion; any fuel, solid, liquid, gaseous, raw, or carbonized, is applicable,
and also any form of the inside walls, which are made parallel in this Figure,
rather bevelled from top to downwards; D, unloading apparatus (which
may be of any other suitable form). The apparatus is worked in the following
manner: The oxyd to be reduced being charged at the upper part, is soon
successively brought to the lower part and heatedonitsprogressbythecolumn
of flames; it becomes reducible at a certain pitch, is reduced by the contact of
its reducer,and comes down intoC completely reduced, whence it is taken out,
still avoiding the introduction of air,if required, by the nature of the material.
The volatilization, fusion, softening, & mere contraction may, of course, be
worked within the apparatus for this purpose, and conformably to theprinciple

page_text: before set forth in the Specification, an intense temperature furnace is pre-
ferably to be used. The waste flames of the furnace will serve alone or
with an additional source of heat resulting from the reduction in the upper
grate; but the size and dimensions of the apparatus may be varied or
modified infinitely.
The apparatus, thus described, differs from the blast furnace in this: 1st,
the fuel is not mixed with the bulk to be reduced (at least in the solid state),
and, secondly, the metal may be withdrawn at any desired state of reduction,
cementation,super-cementation,coutraction,or softening. In case combustion
should be effected in e wholly or partly, the apparatus will differ by the
possibility of effecting the discharge in fit time without being obliged to force
the temperature to the fusion of the bulk.
This apparatus evidently differs from the former in this, the heating of the
oxyd is directed systematically by injection of flames or hot gases, or even by
combustion, into c. On the other hand, it is obvious that the loading and
unloading operations are perfectly analogous. It is evident, too, that any pre-
paratory action to reduction may take place within the apparatus itself. Thus,
common roasting of sulphurets, arseniures, phosphurets, antimoniures, &c,
carbonates, chlorurets, fluorurets, &c., may take place in the upper grates, if
desired, for reduction, being rendered possible, or even being hastened, in the
lower grates. It is no less evident that any gas or useful body may be
admitted at any desired point of C by holes purposely contrived, this being
rendered the easier by the solidity of the apparatus.
Thefurnaceof this apparatus, whichisspecially purposed for generating hot
and neutral gases, may, as likely as any other, convey the explanation of our
principle as to its essential points, viz.,laying the fuel into both compartments
of an upright or inclined syphon, using one of the said compartments for com-
bustion and distillation, and the other for reduction, saturation of the gases
generated in the former compartment, besides the possibility of adding in
either any enriching or other useful substances."
This being once said, the working of the apparatus and its order are easily.
understood (see Fig.6,Sheet 1); A, central tube through which the fuel is fed
to be either consumed or carbonized. The fuel goes down into the tube A
where it is first distilled, and then comes by the heat of the furnace F in a
carbonized state, together with the volatile products, before the blast pipes T,
where it is eitherconsumed oronlycarbonized; the substances to bewithdrawn
are taken out by a doffer D, or any suitable means; all the useful substances
may be charged at E.
The gases generated in A are taken into B after going through in the line

page_text: pointed out by the arrow f, a sufficient layer of fuel for the same gases being
saturated.
In the case that we take specially as example, a great quantity of air may
be injected into E by blast pipes t,or anyother contrivance, without preventing
combustion in the furnace A, nor shall the heating progress be less in E.
Evidently, the parts may be inverted, that is, F be the furnace, and A the
reducing compartment; H is a hydraulic closing.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood, that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein
described, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle of action thereof; likewise we do not confine ourselves to the strict
figure or form of any apparatus or portions of apparatus herein described; but
we claim as new and of our Invention,―
First, the reduction of metallic oxyds by injection of flames or hot gases
into the whole mass to be reduced.
Second, the reduction of the same by external calefaction.
Third, the means herein specified of effecting the two said reductions, and
also of using simultaneously both external and internal calefactions.
Fourth, the peculiar arrangement of the reduction furnaces abovedescribed.
Fifth, the apparatus generating saturated hot gases.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Louis Stanislas Chenot and
Eugène Charles Adrien Chenot, have hereunto set our hand and seal,
this 4th day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
(L.S.) A. L. S. CHENOT.
(L.S.) E. C. A. CHENOT.