Apparatus for Treating Solid and Pasty Substances with Gases at Elevated Temperatures.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Treating Solid and Pasty Substances with Gases
at Elevated Temperatures.
I, LUDWIG MOND, of 20, Avenue Road, Regent's Park, in the County of London,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to bo as
follows:--
My invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus for treating solids
and pasty substances with gases at elevated temperatures, wherein the material to be
treated is made to descend consecutively through a number of superposed compart-
ments in an upright chamber of cylindrical or other form, each such compartment
being heated separately in a controllable manner by providing the same with a
chamber that is made to communicate with a combustion chamber for gaseous fuel.
By this means a uniform heating to a high degree of the entire body of material to
be acted upon by the gases as it passes down through the reducing chamber is
attained, the degree of such heating being under perfect control, which is of great
importance in many operations where solid materials are subjected to the action.
of gases.
When required the said chambers of one or more of the lower compartments,
instead of being put in communication with the combustion chamber, are put in com-
munication with a cold water supply, for the purpose of cooling down the material
before it issues from the apparatus.
I will proceed to describe the construction of the said apparatus with reference to
the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shews an elevation partly in section
Fig. 2 a plan and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 cross sections taken respectively on lines X X,
Y Y and Z Z of Fig. 1.
The apparatus consists of a cylindrical chamber A, which is built up of a number
of short cylinder sections A' A' A'. Each of these cylinder sections is divided by
two plates or trays B B' into two compartments; the upper tray has openings C Č
at its periphery while at the centre it fits round the vertical shaft D carrying
stirring devices, as will be presently explained; the lower tray B₁ has formed
beneath it a chamber E communicating by flues F¹ F with a combustion chamber G
and chimney shaft H. The tray B' with its chamber E fits close against the sides of
the cylinder and has an opening I at the centre, of such a size as to leave an annular
opening round the central shaft. On the central shaft D are fixed arms carrying
stirrers or scrapers J. J' of which the stirrers acting on the trays B tend to move
the material from the centre of the tray to the periphery where it falls through the
openings C on to the tray B' below. The stirrers J on this tray are on the other
hand so arranged as to move the material from the periphery towards the centre, so
as to fall through the opening I on to the next tray below, so that by this means the
pulverulent, granular or pasty material introduced through an opening K at top, is
made to descend successively from one compartment to another while at the same
time it is heated to any required degree by the chambers E.
The chambers are formed with a partition E' on one side thereof, as shewn at
Fig. 4, and on one side of this partition they communicate by means of the flue F¹
provided with a valve f, with the combustion chamber G for gaseous fuel, and on
the other side of the partition they communicate by a flue with the chimney
shaft H, which only communicates with the combustion chamber through the
flues FF, so that the highly heated combustion gases generated in the combustion

page_text: chamber from gaseous fuel introduced through the opening L at bottom, are made to
circulate in a very perfect and uniform manner through all the chambers E on their
way to the chimney H. The whole of the chambers E may be made to communicate
with the combustion chamber as described, or, when it is required to cool down the
material treated before it leaves the apparatus, the lower chambers may be put in
connection with a cold water supply by means of branch pipes and valves M
as shown.
Arrived at the bottom of the apparatus, the material is discharged through a
pipe N, either into a conveying worm O for transporting it to any desired locality
or it may be discharged at once into receptacles placed to receive it.
The gas with which the material is to be treated is introduced into the apparatus
through the opening P¹ at bottom and, after ascending through all the compartments
either by natural or forced draught in close contact with the descending material, it
issues through the discharge opening P' at top.
The requisite rotary motion is imparted to the stirrer shaft D from any suitable
motor by means of gearing Q.
Dated this 14th day of January 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Apparatus for Treating Solid and Pasty Substances with Gases
at Elevated Temperatures.
I, LUDWIG MOND, of 20 Avenue Road, Regent's Park, in the County of London,
Manufacturing Chemist, 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 :-
My invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus for treating solids
and pasty substances with gases at elevated temperatures, wherein the material to
be treated is made to descend consecutively through a number of superposed com-
partments in an upright chamber of cylindrical or other form, each such compartment
being heated separately in a controllable manner by providing the same with a
chamber that is made to communicate with a combustion chamber for gaseous fuel.
By this means a uniform heating to a high degree of the entire body of material
to be acted upon by the gases as it passes down through the reducing chamber is
attained, the degree of such heating being under perfect control, which is of great
importance in many operations where solid materials are subjected to the action of
gases.
When required the said chambers of one or more of the lower compartments,
instead of being put in communication with the combustion chamber, are put in
communication with a cold air or water supply, for the purpose of cooling down the
material before it issues from the apparatus.
I will proceed to describe the construction of the said apparatus with reference to
the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification in which Fig. 1 shews an
elevation partly in section, Fig. 2 a plan and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 cross sections taken
respectively on lines X X, Y Y and Z Z of Fig. 1.
The apparatus consists of a cylindrical chamber A, which is built up of a number of
short cylinder sections A¹ A' A¹. Each of these cylinder sections is divided by two
plates or trays B B' into two compartments; the upper tray has openings Cat
its periphery while at the centre it fits round the vertical shaft D carrying stirring
devices, as will be presently explained; the lower tray B' has formed beneath it a
chamber E communicating by flues Fi F with a combustion chamber G and

page_text: chimney shaft H. The tray B¹ with its chamber E fits close against the sides of the
cylinder and has an opening I at the centre, of such a size as to leave an annular
opening round the central shaft. On the central shaft D are fixed arms carrying
stirrers or scrapers J J₁ of which the stirrers J acting on the trays B tend to move the
material from the centre of the tray to the periphery where it falls through the
openings C on to the tray B' below. The stirrers J on this tray are on the other
hand so arranged as to move the material from the periphery towards the centre, so
as to fall through the opening I on to the next tray below, so that by this means
the pulverulent, granular or pasty material introduced through an opening K at top,
is made to descend successively from one compartment to another while at the same
time it is heated to any required degree by the chambers E.
The chambers are formed with a partition E' on one side thereof, as shown at
Fig. 4, and on one side of this partition they communicate by means of the flue F
provided with a valve f, with the combustion chamber G for gaseous fuel, and on the
other side of the partition they communicate by a flue F' with the chimney shaft H,
which only communicates with the combustion chamber through the flues F¹ F³, so
that the highly heated combustion gases generated in the combustion chamber from
gaseous fuel introduced through the opening L at bottom, are made to circulate in
a very perfect and uniform manner through all the chambers E on their way to the
chimney H. The whole of the chambers E may be made to communicate with the
combustion chamber as described, or when it is required to cool down the material
treated before it leaves the apparatus, the lower chambers may be put in connection
with a cold water or air supply by means of branch pipes and valves M as shewn.
Arrived at the bottom of the apparatus, the material is discharged through a
pipe N, either into a conveying worin O for transporting it to any desired locality or
it may be discharged at once into receptacles placed to receive it.
The gas with which the material is to be treated is introduced into the apparatus
through the opening P1 at bottom and, after ascending through all the compartments
either by natural or forced draught in close contact with the descending material,
it issues through the discharge opening P' at top.
The requisite rotary motion is imparted to the stirrer shaft D from any suitable
motor by means of gearing Q.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for treating solid or pasty materials with gases at high temperatures,
consisting of an upright chamber divided by trays or partitions into a number of
superposed compartments, arranged to communicate with each other, a heating
chamber to each alternate compartment that is made to communicate on one side of
a partition therein with a combustion chamber for gaseous fuel arranged at the side
of the apparatus so that each of the said heating chambers communicates directly
therewith, a chimney flue with which each heating chamber is also made to commu-
nicate on the other side of the said partition so that the hot combustion gases are
made to pass from the combustion chamber through the heating chambers to the
chimney flue, means for supplying the upper end of the apparatus with the solid
material to be treated, and for discharging it at the lower end, a stirring device for
causing the material to descend from one compartment of the apparatus to the next
below, and means for passing the gas with which the material is to be treated in an
upward direction through the apparatus, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for treating solid or pasty materials with gases at high temperatures
consisting of an upright chamber divided by trays or partitions into a number of
superposed compartments arranged to communicate with each other, a heating
chamber to some of the upper compartments which chamber is made to communicate
directly respectively with a combustion chamber for gaseous fuel arranged at the side
of the apparatus and with a chimney flue, a cooling chamber to some of the lowest
compartments communicating with a cold water or air supply, means for supplying

page_text: the upper end of the apparatus with the solid material to be treated, and for dis-
charging it at the lower end, a stirring device for causing the material to descend
from one compartment of the apparatus to the next below, and means for passing the
gas with which the material is to treated, in an upward direction through the
apparatus, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for treating solid or pasty materials with gases at high temperatures
the combination with trays such as B B₁ dividing the apparatus into a number of
superposed compartments through which the solid or pasty material to be treated is
made to descend consecutively, of heating chambers such as E divided by parti-
tions E, on one side of which the said chambers communicate with a combustion
chamber such as G at the side of the said apparatus by means of flues F¹, while on the
other side they communicate with a chimney flue H by flues F³, whereby the hot
combustion gases are made to circulate from the combustion chamber G through the
heating chambers E on their way to the chimney, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for treating solid or pasty material with gases at high temperatures,
the combination of a chamber A, composed of superposed cylinder sections A',
trays B B dividing each such cylinder section into two compartments, communicating
with each other, a heating chamber E below each tray B', divided by a partition E,
'a combustion chamber G for gaseous fuel, extending up at the side of the chamber A,
a chimney flue H extending up at the side of the combustion chamber, but having no
direct communication therewith, flues F¹ on one side of the partition E' establishing
a communication between the heating chambers E and the combustion chamber G,
flues F on the other side of said partition establishing a communication between
chambers E and chimney flue H, means for supplying the solid or pasty material
to be treated to the top of the chamber A, a stirring device for causing the material
to descend from one compartment to another, and means for passing the gas with
which the material is to be treated in an upward direction through the compart-
ments of the chamber A substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of September 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Date of Application 10th Dec. 1805
Complete Specification Left. 10th Sept.. 1896-Accepted. 7th Nov. 1896
Complete Specification Left. 10th Sept.. 1896-Accepted. 7th Nov. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Nickel Ores, and other
Materials containing Nickel, with Carbon Mon-oxide.
I, LUDWIG MOND of No. 20 Avenue Road, Regent's Park in the County of
London, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for carrying out the process whereby nickel
is treated with carbon non-oxide which combines with the nickel forming a volatile
compound from which the nickel is afterwards separated.
The said apparatus consists for this purpose of two main parts, the one part,
which I call the reducer, serves to reduce the nickel oxide contained in the
material to be treated to the metallic state by the action of a reducing gas at a
high temperature while the other part which I call the volatiser serves to subject
the reduced material to the action of carbon mon-oxide whereby the nickel is made
to form a volatile compound with the latter as above stated.
•
The said reducer and volatiser are for this purpose constructed as upright
cylindrical or otherwise shaped chambers containing a number of superposed trays
or shelves from the uppermost one of which the material is made by suitable
stirring apparatus. to. travel downwards successively over all the trays to the
bottom, while at the same time in the case of the reducer, suitable reducing gas is
passed upward and in the case of the volatiser carbon monoxide is passed upward.
The reduced material discharged from the bottom of the reducer is conveyed to an
elevator which raises it to the top of the volatiser down which it is made to travel
as described while the carbon mon-oxide in passing up in contact therewith takes
up the nickel in the form of vapour. When arrived at the bottom of the volatizer
the material is again raised by an elevator to the top of the reducer in which it is
again acted upon by the reducing gas, and is then again passed down through the
volatiser where a further quantity of nickel is taken up by carbon mon-oxide, and
this operation is repeated until the material is sufficiently exhausted. The carbon
mon-oxide charged with the nickel vapour. passing off from the volatiser is passed
through heating chambers, where the nickel is deposited therefrom in metallic
form, and the carbon mon-oxide thus regenerated is then used over again in the
apparatus.
Having thus generally described the construction and mode of operation of my
said apparatus I will now describe a special construction of the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shews an elevation of the
apparatus partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan, Figs. 3 and 4 shew cross sections
taken respectively on the lines X, Y, X, Y', of Eig. 1. R is the reducer, and
V is the volatiser each of these consists of a cylindrical chamber built up
of a
number of short cylinders, which are each divided by plates D having projections L
into
two compartments, which communicate with each other through the
peripheral openings S between the projections L, which serve to support the plate
or lugs on the cylinder sides.
At the lower end of each cylinder is another plate D¹ having a central
opening T, in the reducer R a chamber His formed below this plate which is
connected in the upper cylinders with a combustion chamber A by means of short
Alues F, F, for maintaining a raised temperature in the two compartiments, the

page_text: chambers H being provided with a partition H¹ as shewn at Fig. 3, on one side of
which the flue F communicates with the combustion chamber A while on the
other side the flue F* communicates with the chimney stack B so that the hot
combustion gases are made to circulate through the chambers H.
The chambers H of the lower cylinders are connected by branch pipes with taps
or valves W to a water or air supply and waste pipe for circulating water or air for
cooling the reduced hot material.
Centrally through the cylinders R and V pass vertical shafts M, which are
rotated by gearing a from driving shafts 6 and which carry in each compartment
of the cylinders stirrers M' and M' of which the stirrers M¹ serve to convey the
material on the plate D from the centre towards the periphery, where it falls
through the openings S on to the plate D¹ below. There the stirrers M' are so
arranged as to convey the material from the periphery of the plate to the central
opening T through which it falls on to the centre of the next plate D below; and
So on in succession. This arrangement of plates and stirrers is well known, and
does not of itself form part of my invention, for it may be substituted any other
suitable arrangement for causing the material to pass down from one plate or tray
to another.
At the lower ends of the cylinders R and V are side openings O and P¹ that
are made to communicate respectively with a supply of reducing gas and of carbon
mon-oxide which gases consequently rise up through the cylinders, in contact with
the descending materials. At the upper ends are openings 0 and P2, through
which such gases escape.
The cylinders R and V are connected with each other
by means of air tight conveyors C, C, C, C, of known construction and air
tight elevators E', E, also of known construction in such manner that the material
under treatment can be transported from the reducer into volatiser and vice versa
.without coming in contact with air.
As the gasses passing the two sections are of a different nature, and have to be
kept separate the connections between the conveyors elevators, reducer and
volatiser are provided with rotary valves V1, V2, &c. which feed forward the
powdered material but prevent the gases from mixing.
The construction of the said rotary feed valves Vi &c. is shewn in longitudinal
aud cross sections respectively at Figs. 5 & 6.
On a spindle oue end of which passes through a stuffing box in the coned
casing v¹ is mounted the conical rotary valve consisting of a cylindrical boss with
tapering wings the valve being secured on the spindle by a groove and feather
which allows it to slide longitudinally thereon.
The smaller end of the valve is carried in a stuffing box in the casing, through
which passes a screw with hand wheel, the inner end of which screw is connected
by a head to the end of the valve so that by means of the screw the conical valve
can be adjusted in the casing so as to insure a close fit. Thus it will be seen that
while by the rotation of the valve it will convey the material in the spaces
between its wings from the inlet to the outlet of the casing while it will
effectually prevent the passage of gas beyond the small quantity that may be
mixed with the material.
The above described apparatus operates as follows. The material to be treated
is transported by the conveyor C, into the top of the reducer R through the
rotary feeding valves V¹ & V³.
The stirrers M', M², operating as above described, cause the material to descend
from one compartment to another, while at the same time it is acted upon under
the influence of heat by the reducing gas entering at O'. Arrived at the bottom
of R, the material which now contains metallic nickel, drops through pipe R into
the conveyor C which transports it to the elevator E' by which it is raised and
supplied to the conveyor C³ and this supplies it through the rotary valve Vinto
the top of the volatizer V. Here the material is acted upon by the stirrers M
and M³, as before described so as to cause it to pass down from one compartment to
the other while being acted upon by the carbon monoxide gas which volatises the

page_text: nickel therefrom. From the bottom of V the more or less exhausted material
falls through pipe V into the conveyor C which supplies it to the elevator E',
this lifts it to the conveyor Cs, from which it is supplied through rotary valve V*,
back again into the reducer R, or it may be passed through the rotary valve V7,
into conveyor C for emptying the apparatus after the extraction of the nickeĺ
from the material has been sufficiently accomplished.
The combustion chamber A for heating the reducer is preferably fired by gaseous
fuel introduced through the opening at K.
The reduction of the material in the reducer R is preferably effected by means
of water gas or by producer gas containing hydrogen, introduced through O¹ as
before described.
The carbon mon-oxide, for volatising the nickel, which is preferably employed as
pure as practicable, enters the volatiliser through opening P₁ and leaves it
through P, whence it is passed through heated chambers for the separation of the
nickel and regeneration of the carbon mon-oxide as before described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1895.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Nickel Ores, and other
Materials containing Nickel, with Carbon Mon-oxide.
I, LUDWIG MOND, of No. 20 Avenue Road, Regent's Park, in the County of
London, Manufacturing Chemist, 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 :-
My invention relates to apparatus for carrying out the process whereby nickel
is treated with carbon mon-oxide which combines with the nickel forming a volatile
compound from which the nickel is afterwards separated.
The said apparatus consists for this purpose of two main parts, the one part,
which I call the reducer, serves to reduce the nickel oxide contained in the material
to be treated to the metallic state by the action of a reducing gas at a high
temperature, while the other part, which I call the volatiliser serves to subject the
reduced material to the action of carbon mon-oxide, whereby the nickel is made to
form a volatile compound with the latter as above stated.
The said reducer and volatiliser are for this purpose constructed as upright
cylindrical or otherwise shaped chambers containing a number of superposed trays
or shelves from the uppermost one of which the material is made by suitable stirring
apparatus to travel downwards successively over all the trays to the bottom, while,
at the same time, in the case of the reducer, suitable reducing gas is passed
upwards and, in the case of the volatiliser, carbon mon-oxide is passed upwards.
The reducing material discharged from the bottom of the reducer is conveyed to
an elevator which raises it to the top of the volatiliser, down which it is made to travel
as described, while the carbon mon-oxide in passing up in contact therewith takes up
the nickel in the form of vapour. When arrived at the bottom of the volatiliser the
material is again raised by an elevator to the top of the reducer, in which it is
again acted upon by the reducing gas and is then again passed down through the
volatiliser where a further quantity of nickel is taken up by carbon mon-oxide, and
this operation is repeated until the material is sufficiently exhausted. The carbon
mon-oxide charged with the nickel vapour, passing off from the volatiliser, is
passed through heating chambers where the nickel is deposited therefrom in
metallic form and the carbon mon-oxide thus regenerated is then used over again in
the apparatus.

page_text: Having thus generally described the construction and mode of operation of my
said apparatus I will now describe a special construction of the same with reference
to the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification, in which Fig. 1 shews
an elevation of the apparatus partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan, Figs. 3 and 4
shew cross sections taken respectively on the lines X' Y' X' Y of Fig. 1. R is
the reducer and V is the volatiliser. Each of these consists of a cylindrical
chamber built up of a number of short cylinders which are each divided by
plates D having projections L into two compartments, which communicate with
each other through the peripheral openings $ between the projections L which
serve to support the plate or lugs on the cylinder sides.
At the lower end of each cylinder is another plate D¹ having a central
opening T in the reducer R a chamber H is formed below this plate which is
connected in the upper cylinders with a combustion chamber A by means of short
flues F¹ F for maintaining a raised temperature in the two compartments, the
chambers H being provided with a partition H', as shewn at Fig. 3, on one
side of which the flue F communicates with the combustion chamber A, while, on
the other side, the flue F communicates with the chimney stack B, so that the hot
combustion gases are made to circulate through the chambers H.
The chambers H of the lower cylinders are connected by branch pipes with taps
or valves W to a water or air supply and waste pipe for circulating water or air
for cooling the reduced hot material.
Centrally through the cylinders R and V pass vertical shafts M which are
rotated by gearing a from driving shafts 6 and which carry, in each compartment
of the cylinders, stirrers M1 and M2 of which the stirrers M' serve to convey the
material on the plate D from the centre towards the periphery, where it falls
through the openings S on to the plate D¹ below. There the stirrers M are so
arranged as to convey the material from the periphery of the plate to the central
opening T through which it falls on to the centre of the next plate D below; and
so on in succession. This arrangement of plates and stirrers is well known and does
not of itself form part of my invention; for it may be substituted any other suitable
arrangement for causing the material to pass down from one plate or tray to
another.
At the lower ends of the cylinders R and V are side openings 01 and P' that are
made to communicate respectively with a supply of reducing gas and of carbon
mon-oxide, which gases consequently rise up through the cylinders in contact with
the descending materials. At the upper ends are openings O' and P' through
which such gases escape. The cylinders R and V are connected with each other
by means of air tight conveyors C* C* C* C* of known construction, and air tight
elevators E E, also of known construction, in such manner that the material under
treatment can be transported from the reducer into the volatiliser and vice versa
without coming in contact with air.
As the gases passing the two sections are of a different nature and have to be
kept separate, the connections between the conveyors, elevators, reducer and
volatiliser are provided with rotary valves V1 V &c. which feed forward the
powdered material but prevent the gases from mixing.
The construction of the said rotary feed valves V₁ &c. is shewn in longitudinal
and cross sections respectively at Figs. 5 and 6.
On a spindle v, one end of which passes through a stuffing box in the coned
casing ', is mounted the conical rotary valve consisting of a cylindrical boss v²
with tapering wings ³, the valve being secured on the spindle by a groove and
feather, which allows it to slide longitudinally thereon.
The smaller end of the valve is carried in a stuffing box in the casing through
which passes a screw with hand wheel, the inner end of which screw is connected
by a head to the end of the valve so that by means of the screw the conical valve
can be adjusted in the casing so as to insure a close fit. Thus it will be seen that
while, by the rotation of the valve, it will convey the material in the spaces
between its wings from the inlet to the outlet of the casing it will effectually

page_text: prevent the passage of gas beyond the small quantity that may be mixed with the
material. The above described apparatus operates as follows:
The material to be treated is transported by the conveyor C¹ into the top of the
reducer R through the rotary feeding valves V₁ and V. The stirrers M¹ M',
operating as above described, cause the material to descend from one compartment
to another, while at the same time it is acted upon under the influence of heat by
the reducing gas entering at 01. Arrived at the bottom of R, the material which
now contains metallic nickel drops through the pipe R¹ into the conveyor C
which transports it to the elevator E', by which it is raised and supplied to the
conveyor C and this supplies it through the rotary valve V into the top of the
volatiliser V. Here the material is acted upon by the stirrers M' and M', as
before described, so as to cause it to pass down from one compartment to the next,
while being acted upon by the carbon mon-oxide gas which volatilises the nickel
therefrom. From the bottom of V the more or less exhausted material falls
through the pipe Vinto the conveyor C, which supplies it to the elevator E*; this
lifts it to the conveyor C from which it is supplied through the rotary valve V',
back again into the reducer R, or it may be passed through the rotary valve Vi
into the conveyor C for emptying the apparatus after the extraction of the nickel.
from the material has been sufficiently accomplished. The combustion chamber A
for heating the reducer is preferably fired by gaseous fuel introduced through the
opening at K. The reduction of the material in the reducer R is preferably
effected by means of water gas or by producer gas containing hydrogen introduced
through as before described. The carbon mon-oxide for volatilising the nickel,
which is preferably employed as pure as practicable, enters the volatiliser through
the opening P and leaves it through P, whence it is passed through heated
chambers for the separation of the nickel and regeneration of the carbon mon-oxide
as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. Apparatus for treating materials containing nickel with carbon mon-oxide,
consisting firstly of a reducer, or chamber divided by trays or partitions into a
number of superposed compartments through which the material is inade to descend
consecutively by the action of suitable stirring apparatus while at the same time
it is subjected to the action of ascending reducing gases and to a high degree of
heat supplied by means of a heating chamber in each of the said compartments,
these chambers being each directly connected by flues to a combustion chamber
with gaseous fuel and to a chimney shaft; secondly, the apparatus consisting of a
volatiliser or chamber into the upper end of which the inaterial is conveyed from
the lower end of the reducing chamber and which is divided by trays or partitions
into a number of superposed compartments through which the reduced material is
made to descend consecutively by means of suitable stirring apparatus while at the
same time it is subjected to the action of an upward current of carbon mun-oxide,
substantially as described.
2. In apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, connecting the reduciug
chamber and the volatilising chambers with each other by means of closed passages
containing worm conveyers and elevators so arranged that the material is conveyed
from the bottom of the reducer to the top of the volatiliser, and from the bottom
of the latter to the top of the reducer again, for the purpose of causing the
material to be subjected several times to the consecutive action of the reducing
gases, and the carbon mon-oxide gas, rotary feed valves being provided in the said
passages for the purpose of allowing the material to pass from the one chamber to
the other but to prevent the gases passing through the two chambers from mixing
with each other, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for treating materials containing nickel with carbon monoxide,
the use of a reducing chamber R for reducing the material before it is subjected to

page_text: the action of carbon mon-oxide, which chamber is divided by trays or partitions D. DI
into surperposed compartments communicating with each other, every alternate
compartment having a chamber H communicating on one side of a partition H¹ by
a flue F with a combustion chamber A for gaseous fuel and on the other side of
the said partition by means of a flue with a chimney shaft B, so that the hot
combustion gases are made to circulate through the chambers H, in every
compartment, for the purpose of highly heating the material descending through
them, the lowermost chambers H being, if necessary, put in communication with a
cold water or air supply instead of with the combustion chamber in order to act as
cooling chambers for cooling the material before issuing from the apparatus.
Dated this 10th September 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant..