Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Zinc.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Zinc.
I, LOUIS HIPPOLYTE CAHAIGNE of 42 Rue St. Bernard, Paris, France, Fondeur
de zinc, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for distilling zinc in order to obtain a chemically
pure product.
The said apparatus consists of a kind of furnace which is completely closed and in
which the zinc, reduced to vapour, condenses and being converted into the liquid
state passes through a siphon so that there shall be no communication with the air,
and is collected in a receptacle arranged on the side of the apparatus.
In order to render the improved apparatus better understood I have represented it,
by way of example, in the accompanying drawing.
In this drawing
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a section on the line C D of Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a section on the line A B of Figure 1.
The melted zine is introduced into the retort a through a funnel which forms a
siphon. The said zine being reduced to the volatile state penetrates in the form of
vapour through the pipe c into the condenser d represented in Figures 1 and 3.
The zinc condenses in this apparatus and being converted into a liquid state, leaves
the same through the siphon e so that there shall not be any cominunication with the
air, and is then collected in the receptacle f.
In the brick work of the furnace is arranged a hearth g and above the latter is the
retort designed to contain the metal to be distilled. The discharge or removal of
the foreign substances and residues is effected by removing the plug h.
The products of combustion pass below the aforesaid retort through openings i. i
which form a passage for the flame, the latter will surround the retort at 17 in order
to uniformly heat the whole of its surface and then escapes through the chimney j
The opening represented in Figure 1 communicates with the chamber of the
condenser d which has an outlet m arranged in such a manner that the zine shall not
be in contact with the air, when it passes to the receptacle f. The furnace is charged
through the opening n which is so arranged that the air shall not enter in contact
with the retort.
I do not limit myself to the arrangement of the details above described, but reserve
the right to make any modification which I deem useful, and employ materials of any
suitable nature for ensuring the good operation of the improved apparatus.
Dated this 28th day of November 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Zinc.
I, LOUIS HIPPOLYTE CAHAIGNE, of 42 Rue St. Bernard, Paris; France, Fondeur
de zinc, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for distilling zinc in order to obtain a chemically
pure product.
The said apparatus consists of a kind of furnace which is completely closed, and
I being converted into the liquid

page_text: state, passes through a siphon so that there shall be no communication with the air,
and is subsequently collected in a receptacle arranged on the side of the apparatus.
In order to render the improved apparatus better understood I have represented it
by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the centre of one of the furnaces.
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 1, 2, 3, 4 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 56 of Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are sections taken on the lines 7, 8, 9 and, 10 respectively of
Figure 4.
The furnace having eight retorts is composed of two connected furnaces which are
entirely independent of each other and each provided with a separate hearth and
chimney. Each of the said furnaces contains a group of four retorts a arranged in
two rows and one above the other. The two furnaces are adapted to operate either
together or separately.
A condenser bis arranged in connection with the two furnaces and heated by their
waste heat, the said condenser being of a somewhat large size so that it can be used
for the eight retorts.
Figure 1 shows the two hearths c, the two groups of four retorts each, separated by
the condenser in which the products of distillation from the eight retorts unite.
Each group of four retorts is arranged in a muffle d of hollow pieces termed cages.
This muffle is heated on three sides (Figures 3 and 4) by the rising flames proceeding
from the hearth, and on the fourth side and also in the central partitions in the middle
by the return passage of the same flames which pass to the chimney, in order to be
conducted by means of registers either below the condenser if the latter requires to
be heated, or to the vertical chimney if the condenser has the desired temperature.
The introduction of the zine to be distilled takes place at e on the side of the retort
and approximately at half its height. Before however, this introduction is effected
care should be taken to expel the air or transform the atmosphere by putting in the
said retort, such a quantity of charcoal-dust that the carbonic acid and oxide of
carbon produced shall be sufficient for expelling the air or for absorbing or
transforming the oxygen.
The vessels for introducing the zinc are placed in the passage for the rising flames,
so that the zine which they contain shall always be maintained in the liquid state.
They are constructed in the form of a siphon to prevent any admission of air into
the retorts (see Figure 1).
When the two hearths are lighted the waste heat from the two furnaces is sufficient
to maintain the condenser at the temperature of the fusion of zinc. It may some-
times happen however, that only one furnace is lighted, the other being out of work
for repairs or for other purpose.
In this case the waste heat from the single furnace would perhaps not be sufficient
to maintain the condenser at the necessary temperature. To obviate this incon-
venience, in each hearth is provided a heat-receiver f closed by a register which
enables the heat to be conducted directly below the condenser and below the
discharge vessel g in which the zinc must also be maintained in the liquid state.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section showing the passage for the flames rising from
each of the two groups of four retorts; the arrangement of the refractory pieces /
upon which the condenser is supported; the flues to which the flames pass after
having heated the muffles; and finally the operation of the registers i which enable
the said flames to be optionally conducted either below the condenser or to the
said flues.
The same section also shows in dotted lines the plan of the hearths and the special
receivers provided in each of them for conducting the heat below the discharge vessel
and below the condenser.
The left hand portion of Figure 3 shows:-the arrangement of the passages for
the rising flames and the return passages for the said flames, and also a horizontal
section of the condenser, retorts and special parts designed to heat the vessels for

page_text: ucing the zinc. The same section shows the vertical flues k and their junction
with the opening into the chimney which may be of sheet iron or the like placed
outside and not shown in the drawing.
The right hand portion of Figure 3 shows the same arrangement as on the left
hand side for the passages for the flames and also the opening provided above the
vessel g for the outlet of the zinc for the service of the said vessel.
The vertical section Figure 5 is taken through one of the flues in which the flames
join each other on leaving the muffles. It shows the two registers i open for allowing
the heat to pass below the condenser, whilst the third register m closes the passage
to the vertical flue.
This section also shows the direct receiver of heat in the hearth which has been
above described.
The vertical section Figure 6 is taken through the centre of the condenser. It
shows the longitudinal section of the same, and also the siphon n through which the
liquid zinc is run into the vessel g to the outlet.
This section shows moreover the passage for the heat taken directly from the
hearth to heat the vessel for the outlet and the condenser, and also the admission
passage for the waste heat from the muffles, its circulation in the hollow pieces which
surround the condenser and its outlet into the top to the furnace, in order to pass to
the chimney. This section also shows in dotted lines the vertical flue closed by a
register, and its junction with the discharge passage which terminates in the chimney.
The retorts are emptied through the medium of a siphon, enabling the explosion of
any residues, while preventing the admission of air to the retorts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The improved apparatus for the production of chemically pure zinc, consisting in
the combination, with retorts a receiving the zinc from siphon vessels e of a con-
denser 6 heated by the waste heat, or the direct heat of the hearths, and into which
he zinc is run from the retorts a the said condenser allowing in its turn the purified
inc to run into the vessel g for the outlet, through the medium of a siphon n in
principle as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of August 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.