Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Ferro-ferric and Ferric Oxides.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Ferro-ferric and Ferric
Oxides.
I, ATKINSON CROSSLEY, of Beili Glas, Cwmavon, near Pontypool, in the
County of Monmouth, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to further improvements in the apparatus for
producing ferro-ferric and ferric oxides, for which Letters Patent were granted to
Atkinson Crossley and James William Jones, dated June 9th A.D. 1890, and
numbered 8914.
In the Specification and drawings of the said Letters Patent were described
and shewn a masonry furnace containing one or more fireclay retorts into which
trays, containing the powdered salts from which the ferro-ferric or ferric oxides are
to be obtained, are placed, the retorts having a number of grooves or ribs into
which the trays slide freely and are removed when the process of oxidation is
completed. In this method of construction and arrangement considerable time is
lost in introducing and removing the trays, and the cost of labour employed
is considerable.
By my present invention, instead of using such moveable trays to contain the
salts, I use cylinders of metal, such as steel, or other suitable material, inclined_at
an angle so that the powdered salts can be fed in at the upper end of one cylinder
(which is made to revolve continuously upon its axis) and slowly descends to the
lower end, whence it passes into the upper end of a similar revolving cylinder
inclined at the opposite angle, down which it passes to a discharge opening. or to
the upper end of a third cylinder inclined in the same direction as the first one,
and so on successively through as many cylinders as are necessary to complete the
oxidation of the salts. The revolving cylinders may be of any suitable diameter
and length, and are preferably supported upon rollers, and they are made to
revolve slowly by means of toothed wheels friction gear, or chain wheels, actuated
by steam or other available machinery.
The passages by which the salts are introduced and removed when oxidized as
well as the passages from one cylinder to another, are made so as to be as nearly
air tight as possible, air or steam being admitted in regulated quantity to effect the
oxidation, and the acid vapour and gases being conveyed away to a tunnel or acid
chamber or tower, as described in the Specification already referred to.
The revolving tubes are heated in furnaces preferably of the kind described and
shewn in the said Specification, the said furnaces being so arranged that the
revolving tubes are heated as evenly and uniformly as possible.
By my present invention the process is continuous, and the oxidation of the salts
is effectively and uniformly carried on, and at little cost as most of the labour
ordinarily required can be dispensed with.
Dated this 28th day of July 1891
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Ferro-ferric and Ferric
Oxides.
I, ATKINSON CROSSLEY, of Beili Glas, Cwmavon, near Pontypool, in the
County of Monmouth, 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 and accompanying
drawing, that is to say :-
My present invention relates to further improvements in the apparatus for
producing ferro-ferric and ferric oxides, for which Letters Patent were granted
to Atkinson Crossley and James William Jones, dated June 9th A.D. 1890, and
numbered 8914.
In the Specification and drawings of the said Letters Patent were described and
shewn a masonry furnace containing one or more fireclay retorts into which trays,
containing the powdered salts from which the ferro-ferric or ferric oxides are to be
obtained, are placed, the retorts having a number of grooves or ribs into which the
trays slide freely and are removed when the process of oxidation is completed.
In this method of construction and arrangement considerable time is lost in
introducing and removing the trays, and the cost of labour employed is
considerable.
By my present invention, instead of using such moveable trays to contain the
salts, I use cylinders of metal, such as steel, or other suitable material, inclined at
an angle so that the powdered salt can be fed in at the upper end of one cylinder
(which is made to revolve continuously upon its axis) and slowly descends to the
lower end, whence it passes into the upper end of a similar revolving cylinder
inclined at the opposite angle, down which it passes to a discharge opening, or to
the upper end of a third cylinder inclined in the same direction as the first one,
and so on successively through as many cylinders as are necessary to complete the
oxidation of the salts. The revolving cylinders may be of any suitable diameter
and length, and are preferably supported upon rollers or in sockets and they are
made to revolve slowly by means of toothed wheels, friction gear, or chain wheels,
actuated by steam or other available machinery.
The passages by which the salts are introduced and removed when oxidized as
well as the passages from the one cylinder to the other, are made so as to be as
nearly air tight as possible, air or steam being admitted in regulated quantities to
effect the oxidation, and the acid vapour and gases being conveyed away to
a tunnel or acid chamber or tower, as described in the Specification already
referred to.
The revolving tubes are heated in furnaces preferably of the kind described and
shewn in the said Specification, the said furnaces being so arranged that the
revolving tubes are heated as evenly and uniformly as possible.
a
The accompanying drawing is an illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being
transverse section through a furnace containing twelve revolving tubes,
Figure 2 a front view of the same, and Figure 3 a longitudinal vertical section
through one of the three sets of revolving tubes contained in the furnace.
a is the furnace, and b, b, the end walls of the same, in which are made openings
through which pass the ends of the revolving tubes. These tubes are shewn in
three sets side by side, each containing four tubes arranged one above the other,
but any other convenient number may be used, the ends of the tubes are shewn
revolving freely in sockets or bearings d built into the walls b, b, as little air space
as possible being left round them." The upper tube c of each set is higher at its
front end than at the back, and into this front open end the powdered salts or
materials used are fed gradually in through the hopper e, or other suitable feeding
apparatus. They then pass along and down to the other or lower end of the tube

page_text: whence they are directed by a hopper or guide finto the open back end of the
next tube c', which is higher than its front end. The salt or material accordingly
passes along and down this tube and out at its front end into the hopper or guide f¹
which directs it into the front higher end of the next tube c² after passing down
which it is directed by the hopper into the back end of the lowest tube c³,
down which it passes and is finally delivered through the open end of the latter
into a delivery shoot or pipe g, the front end of which may be closed by a moveable
door (not shewn in the drawing).
The tubes c are made to revolve slowly in the bearings d, in order that the salts
in them may be thoroughly and uniformly acted upon and may be caused to pass
along and down them as described. For this purpose the front ends of the tubes
are shewn provided with toothed wheels, those upon the tubes c and c¹ being driven
by an intermediate wheel, itself driven by the tangent toothed wheel i and screw
and shaft k by steam or other power, the wheel upon c¹ driving that upon c² and
the latter driving by an intermediate wheel that upon the lowest tube c³.
I do not however confine myself to the method shewn of causing the tubes to
revolve, as they may be driven by friction gear, chain wheels, or other equivalent
means.
The tubes as they revolve are exposed to the heat in the furnace which I prefer
to fire by means of fireplaces 1, l, arranged across the length of the tubes, and one
or more of which may be used.
Any desired number of the revolving tubes may be used in the furnaces
described.
The openings above described for the admission of air or steam, and for con-
veying away the acid vapour and gases are not shewn in the drawing which
accompanies my present Specification.
By my present invention the process is continuous, and the oxidation of the
salts is effectively and uniformly carried on, and at little cost as most of the labour
ordinarily required can be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved apparatus for producing ferro-ferric and ferric oxides, con-
sisting of a sufficient number of inclined tubes open at their ends and made to
revolve slowly upon their axes by suitable mechanism so that the materials con-
tained in them are made to pass continuously along and through them, the tubes
being contained in a furnace by which they are heated externally, and suitable
openings being provided for the admission of air or steam, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
2. The combination of the inclined tubes c, bearing d, toothed wheels and driving
gear, hopper e, hoppers or guides fand furnace a, substantially as and for the
purpose described and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of Anril 1892
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.