IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING SMALL PYRITES, AND CALCINING ORES AND OTHER MINERALS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mark Finch, of Silvertown, in the County of Essex,
Manufacturing Chemist, and William Willoughby, Joseph Willoughby, and
Samuel Willoughby all of Plymouth in the County of Devon, Engineers, for
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mark Finch, William
Willoughby, Joseph Willoughby, and Samuel Willoughby at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1883.
MARK FINCH, of Silvertown, in the County of Essex, Manufacturing Chemist,
and WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY, JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY, and SAMUEL WILLOUGHBY, all
of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Engineers, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR BURNING SMALL PYRITES, AND CALCINING ORES AND OTHER MINERALS,
The said invention consists in employing for the purpose of calcining ores such
as Pyrites. Mundic and other minerals containing sulphur, arsenic or other foreign
substances, a continuous flue so constructed as to form a furnace.
The bottom of the said Blue or furnace, is, by preference, an inclined plane, or is
formed into steps so that its sections rise one above another, but its sections may
lie horizontally.
The said flue or furnace is arranged about a centre pillar of either solid or
hollow construction and in a spiral, triangular rectangular or other suitable
manner.
Instead of arranging the flue or furnace around a centre pillar as lastly described,
the pillar may be dispensed with, and the flue or furnace arranged around a "well
hole" in a manner similar to the construction of "well staircases.'
The flue or furnace is constructed of Fire Brick or other suitable material, and
for convenience, the bed of the said flue or furnace is formed in sections so as to
obtain a convenient rise and pitch, thus making the continuous inclined plane or

page_text: steps about the said centre pillar or "well hole." Openings are formed at various
heights, in the exterior walls of the furnace in order to afford means of communi-
cation with the interior. The said openings are closed or regulated by doors as
required.
When the bottom of the flue throughout is on one level, the sections are so arranged
that the doors at openings, command the full length of each section, for the purpose
of sending forward the mineral under process of calcining.
The mineral to be calcined is, by preference, made to enter in at the highest cud
of the flue or furnace, and then to descend through the various sections, being
helped forward, when necessary, by use of the before mentioned openings until it
reaches the bottom of the furnace, when it is drawn out

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Mark Finch, William Willoughby, Joseph Willoughby, and Samuel
Willoughby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th December 1883.
MARK FINCH, of Silvertown, in the County of Essex, Manufacturing Chemist,
and WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY, JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY, and SAMUEL WILLOUGHBY all
of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Engineers, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR BURNING SMALL PYRITES, AND CALCINING ORES AND OTHER MINERALS,”
Our said Invention consists in employing for the purpose of calcining ores such
as Pyrites, Mundic and other minerals containing sulphur Arsenic, or other foreign
substances; a continuous flue so constructed as to form a furnace as hereinafter
described. The bottom of the said flue or furnace is, by preference, an inclined
plane or is formed into steps so that its sections may rise one above another.
The said flue or furnace is arranged about a centre pillar of either solid or
hollow construction in a spiral, triangular, rectangular or other suitable manner.
Instead of arranging the flue or furnace around a centre pillar as lastly described,
the pillar may be dispensed with and the flue or furnace arranged around a "well
hole" in a manner similar to the construction of "well staircases."
The flue or furnace is constructed of fire brick or other suitable material, and,
for convenience, the bed of the said flue or furnace is formed in sections so as to
obtain a convenient rise or pitch, thus making the continuous inclined plane or
steps about the said centre pillar or "well hole." Openings are formed at various
heights in the exterior wall of the furnace in order to afford means of communi-
cation with the interior. The said openings are closed or regulated by doors as
required. The said doors command the full length of each section for the purpose
of sending forward the mineral under process of calcining.
The mineral to be calcined is, by preference, made to enter in at the highest end
of the flue or furnace and then to descend through the various sections, being
helped forward, when necessary, by use of the before mentioned openings until it
reaches the bottom of the furnace when it is drawn out..
We will now proceed to refer to the accompanying drawings from which the
nature of our said Invention will be more clearly understood. The same letters of
reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1. 2. 3. and 4. respectively represent a longitudinal elevation, partly in
section, transverse sections and plan, partly in section, of furnaces with a con-
tinuous flue constructed as herein before described, so that the sections of the flue
rise one above the other, around the centre solid column A.
The Pyrites, Mundic or other materials having been passed through the hopper C.
fall on to the first section d. of the flue and descend through the various sections
d. d. d. d. being assisted forward when necessary, through the openings
e. el. e. e. e, which, when not being employed for this purpose, are covered or
closed by sliding or other suitable doors.
The quarls or shelves are made of cast iron, fire brick or any other suitable
material.
The gases arising from the material under treatment ascend to the top of the
furnace through the continuous flue and pass through the outlet g. into the main
flue F. or to the acid towers, chambers or any other convenient receptacle. It will
be readily understood that any number of the said furnaces may be placed side
by side.
Figures 5., 6. and 7. illustrate a furnace the outline of which is differently shaped
to that of the furnaces lastly referred to.

page_text: Figures 8. and 9. show a furnace of another form, the working of which is the
same in all respects as that of those shown in Figures 1., 2., 3. and 4.
Figures 10. and 11. are views of a furnace having the sections of its flue, which
rise one above another similar to those shown in Figures 1., 2., 3. and 4. after the
manner of a staircase, about a well.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we would observe in conclusion that
what we consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the
invention secured to us by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent, is:
The construction of furnaces for burning Pyrites, and calcining ores and other
minerals, substantially as herein before set forth and described.
In witness whereof we the said Mark Finch, William Willoughby, Joseph
Willoughby, and Samuel Willoughby, have hereunto set our hands and seals this
sixth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three
Witness
THOMAS HARRIS,
1 Connaught Avenue,
Plymouth.
MARK FINCH
(L.S.)
WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY (L.S.)
JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY
SAMUEL WILLOUGHBY (L.S.)
(L.S.)