Improvements in the Pulverisation of Metals or other Substances with a View to the Manufacture of Steel and for other Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: t
..Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1896
*Complete Specification Lift 5th Aug 1807 Accented 2nd Oct
1907
...Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1896
"::
Complete Specification lift, 5th Aug, 1807.
5th Aug 1807
Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1807
Improvements in the Pulverisation of Metals or other Substances
with a View to the Manufacture of Steel and for other Purposes.
. : ז י.
A Communication by LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE D'ETUDES DU SYNDICAT DE L'ACIER
GERARD of 14 Rue de la Victoire, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineers do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the pulverisation of metals with a view to various
industrial uses, more particularly for the manufacture of steel, and it is intended
to furnish simple and efficacious means whereby a liquid metal may be pulverised
to the degree which may be required, and converted immediately into steel (when
the metal herein before mentioned is pig iron) without the use of the Bessemer
converter or reverberatory furnaces at present employed for this object.
According to the present invention, a small quantity of molten and finely
pulverised pig iron is brought into the presence of a considerable volume of air
in order to convert it into steel, the purity and nature of which may be regulated
by causing either the degree of pulverisation given to the metal or the duration
of the contact of the metallic globules with air to be varied.
It is evident that the chemical reactions will be produced economically and in
the same order as in the Bessemer process, that is to say, that the air will cause
first the combustion of the elements such as silicon, phosphorus, sulphur and carbon,
the combination of, which with oxygen causes an excess of heat before the iron
itself is attacked in any appreciable manner.
The means of pulverisation which will now be described may be physical,
mechanical or electrical as may be deemed preferable for the disintegration of the
metal which it is desired to convert into separate globules as minute as may be
required.
In order to carry out the invention, the liquid pig iron, coming from a cupola for
instance, is introduced into a fireclay vessel, provided at its lower part with an
opening and mounted or placed in a casing having an opening below the aforesaid
opening but of slightly larger dimensions. Finally, a lateral tube is arranged
to allow of a current of air under pressure being introduced into this casing to
act on the liquid pig metal in its passage to the lower opening in order to cause
the disintegration of the jet of molten metal and its dissemination in very small
globules, which are subjected to the action of this expanding air and of a current
of air forced in an opposite direction by means of a fan, with the object of retarding
their fall and of bringing them into contact with a large quantity of air constantly
renewed. It is during this fall of the metallic globules that the oxidation of the

page_text: most combustible parts of the pig metal takes place and its transformation into
steel, which is collected in a crucible in order to be treated with any suitable
quantity of spiegel in order to impart to it the particular nature and qualities
which may be desired.
The pulverisation of the jet of molten metal emerging from the fireclay vessel
into which it has been poured may also be effected, under the action of several
jets of air under pressure arriving by convergent nozzles or tuyeres arranged on the
pipe or conduit for supplying the air under pressure, or even by arranging the opening
of this vessel in such a way that the jet of liquid pig metal is produced in a hori
zontal direction, in which case the pulverisation is produced by a vertical jet of air.
Instead of employing air under pressure for effecting the pulverisation of the
molten pig metal, this result may be obtained by means of mechanical action. In
this case, the molten pig metal is caused to fall on the centre of a disc of fireclay
mounted on a vertical shaft having a very high speed of rotation, which is trans-
mitted to it by a pulley or gearing actuated by means of any suitable motive force.
The air injected into the apparatus by means of the pipe arrives below the revolving
dise and passes through the fine shower of pulverised pig metal in a direction
contrary to that of its descent in order to encounter all its parts and finally escapes
by means of a passage arranged in the upper part of the aerating chamber where
the partial combustion is effected which is necessary for the operation.
In all these cases the air injected may be preferably heated to a high temperature
by causing it to circulate for this object in passages arranged on the periphery of
the lower chamber of the apparatus so as to utilise the excess of heat released by
the partial combustion of the pig metal in this chamber. Further the air may be
enriched with a certain proportion of oxygen, or, if need be, of other suitable
gas or vapour. Reducing substances such as hematite or oxide of iron or fluxes
such as lime or the like previously reduced to a very fine powder may also be
caused to be carried along by the current of air.
Finally as has been hereinbefore mentioned, a powerful electric action may also be
made use of in order to produce the pulverisation of the pig metal or other molten
metal and to render it sensibly molecular if it be desired. In this case the jet of
molten metal is caused to pass between the adjacent extremities of two powerful
conductors of carbon or other material in which a current of electricity of very high
density and very weak electromotive force is caused to pass, which current produces
an extremely high elevation of the temperature of the metal passing in a continuous
stream between these conductors and consequently a separation of its molecules,
which may be regulated in such a way as not to attain the point of gasification or
volatilisation of the substance but to approach it sufficiently to attain the object.
In this manner the metal resolves itself into drops or globules, the size of which
depends on the temperature produced and if this metal be pig iron which is to be
converted into steel, air under pressure is caused to pass into the chamber placed
below the conductors by means of lateral pipes arranged for this purpose, and
with or without the addition of various gases or other suitable substances as has
been hereinbefore mentioned.
In case it is proposed to only collect the substance in the condition of a more or
less fine powder, it will be sufficient to employ any suitable means for cooling the
grains or dust obtained, such as for instance a sufficiently deep well, the walls of
which may be chilled by a current of cold air and in which cold gases having no
chemical action on the metal may be blown. In certain cases it will be sufficient
to cause the pulverulent substance to fall into water, the vapour of which rising
in the well will protect the metal from any further oxidising action of the air.
Among the various mineral substances to which this process of electrical
pulverisation may be applied with advantage, the following may be more particu-
Jarly indicated:-Lead with a view to its reduction to powder for various purposes
and more particularly for making the plates of electric accumulators; zinc eivir
for its sublimation or for the production of the oxide called zinc white; copper
either for the purpose of producing rich mattes, or for pulverising this metal in

page_text: order to extract therefrom by chemical or electro chemical processes the precious
metals which it contains; bronze, tin, aluminium and the like for the object of
producing metallic powders utilised in printing, painting and decoration; hard
chromium-, tungsten-, tantalum-steel and the like with a view to forming
polishing powders replacing emery; and generally any substances capable of being
melted at more or less elevated temperatures and which this process allows of
obtaining in pulverulent or granular form suitable for various industrial purposes.
Dated this 11th day of November 1896
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.
Improvements in the Pulverisation of Metals or other Substances
with a View to the Manufacture of Steel and for other Purposes.
A Communication by LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE D'ETUDES DU SYNDICAT DE L'ACIER
GERARD of 14 Rue de la Victoire, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6. Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, & 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 the pulverisation of metals with a view to various
industrial uses, more particularly for the manufacture of steel, and it is intended
to furnish simple and efficacious means whereby a liquid metal may be pulverised
to the degree which may be required, and converted immediately into steel (when
the metal herein before mentioned is pig iron) without the use of the Bessemer
converter or reverberatory furnaces at present employed for this object.
According to the present invention, a small quantity of finely pulverised
molten pig iron is brought into the presence of a considerable volume of air
in order to convert it into steel, the purity and nature of which may be regulated
by causing either the degree of pulverisation given to the metal or the duration
of the contact of the metallic globules with air to be varied.
It is evident that the chemical reactions will be produced economically and in
the same order as in the Bessemer process, that is to say, that the air will cause
first the combustion of the elements such as silicon, phosphorus, sulphur and carbon,
the combination of which with oxygen produce the greatest quantity of heat, before
the iron itself is attacked in any appreciable manner.
The means of pulverisation which will now be described may be physical,
mechanical or electrical as may be deemed preferable for the disintegration of the
metal which it is desired to convert into separate globules as minute as may be
required.
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a means of carrying out the invention;
Figure 2 a vertical section of another means of carrying out the invention and
Figure 3 a vertical section of another modification;

page_text: Figure 4 a vertical section of an arrangement comprising the use of a pulverising
mechanism;
Figure 5 a vertical section showing the application of electricity to the pulveri
sation of molten metal.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the liquid pig iron, coming from a cupol
for instance, is introduced into a fireclay vessel A, provided at its lower part with
an opening a and mounted or placed in a casing B having an opening b below the
aforesaid opening a but of slightly larger dimensions. Finally, a lateral tube D
is arranged to allow of a current of air under pressure being introduced into this
casing to act on the liquid pig metal in its passage to the lower opening b in order
to cause the disintegration of the jet of molten metal and its dissemination in very
small globules which in the lower chamber C are subjected to the action of this
expanding air and of a current of air forced in an opposite direction by means of
a fan or blower with the object of retarding their fall and of bringing them into
contact with a large quantity of air constantly renewed. It is during this fall of
the metallic globules that the oxidation of the most combustible parts of the pig
metal takes place and its transformation into steel, which is collected in a crucible
in order to be treated with any suitable quantity of spiegel in order to impart to
it the particular nature and qualities which may be desired.
The pulverisation of the jet of molten metal emerging from the fireclay vessel A
into which it has been poured, may also be effected under the action of several
jets of air under pressure arriving by convenient nozzles or tuyeres d arranged on
the pipe or conduit D for supplying the air under pressure as shown in Figure 2,
or even by arranging the opening a of this vessel in such a way that the jet of
liquid pig metal is produced in a horizontal direction, in which case the pulveri-
sation is produced by a vertical jet of air D as shown Figure 3.
Instead of employing air under pressure for effecting the pulverisation of the
molten pig metal, this result may be obtained by means of mechanical action. In
this case, shown in Figure 4, the molten pig metal is caused to fall on the centre
of a disc E of fireclay mounted on a vertical shaft having a very high speed of
rotation, which is transmitted to it by a pulley e or gearing actuated by means of
any suitable motive force. The air injected into the apparatus by means of the
pipe D arrives below the revolving disc E and passes through the fine shower of
pulverised pig metal in a direction contrary to that of its descent, in order to
encounter it in all its parts and finally escapes by means of a passage Farranged
in the upper part of the aerating chamber C where the partial combustion is
effected which is necessary for the operation.
In all these cases the air injected may be preferably heated to a high temperature
by causing it to circulate for this object in passages arranged on the periphery of
the lower chamber C of the apparatus so as to utilise the excess of heat released
by the partial combustion of the pig metal in this chamber. Further the air may
be enriched with a certain proportion of oxygen, or, if need be, of other suitable
gas or vapour. Oxidising substances such as hematite or oxide of iron, or fluxes
such as lime or the like previously reduced to a very fine powder may also be caused
to be carried along by the current of air.
Finally as has been hereinbefore mentioned, a powerful electric action may also
be made use of in order to produce the pulverisation of the pig metal
or other molten metal and to render it sensibly molecular if it be
desired. In this case, as shown in Figure 5, the jet of molten metal
is caused to pass between the adjacent extremities of two powerful
conductors G G of carbon or other material in which a current of electricity of
very high density and very weak electromotive force is caused to pass, which current
produces an extremely high elevation of the temperature of the metal passing in
a continuous stream between these conductors and consequently a separation of its
molecules, which may be regulated in such a way as not to attain the point of
gasification or volatilisation of the substance but to approach it sufficiently to attain
the object.

page_text: In this manner the metal resolves itself into drops or globules, the size of which
depends on the temperature produced, and if this metal be pig iron which is to be
converted into steel, air under pressure is caused to pass into the chamber C placed
below the conductors G by means of lateral pipes D arranged for this purpose,
and with or without the addition of various gases or other suitable substances as
has been herein before mentioned.
01 In case it is proposed to only collect the substance in the condition of a more or
less fine powder, it will be sufficient to employ any suitable means for cooling the
grains or dust obtained, such as for instance a sufficiently deep well, the walls of
which may be chilled by a current of cold water and in which cold gases having
no chemical action on the metal may be blown. In certain cases it will be sufficient
to cause the pulverulent substance to fall into water, the vapour of which rising in
the well will protect the metal from any further oxidising action of the air.
Among the various mineral substances to which this process of electrical
pulverisation may be applied with advantage, the following may be more particu-
larly indicated:-Lead with a view to its reduction to powder for various purposes
and more particularly for making the plates of electric accumulators; zinc either
for its sublimation or for the production of the oxide called zinc white; copper
either for the purpose of producing rich mattes, or for pulverising this metal in
order to extract therefrom by chemical or electro chemical processes the precious
metals which it contains; bronze, tin, aluminium and the like for the object of
producing metallic powders, utilised in printing, painting and decoration; hard
chromium-, tungsten-, titanium-steel and the like with a view to forming
polishing powders replacing emery; and generally any substances capable of being
melted at more or less elevated temperatures and which this process allows of
obtaining in pulverulent or granular form suitable for various industrial purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The method of pulverising metals with a view to the manufacture of steel
and for other purposes, which consists in subjecting them whilst molten and whilst
falling freely in a fine stream to the action of an electric current of great density
and weak electromotive force, substantially as herein before set forth.
2. For the manufacture of steel; an apparatus comprising a vessel to receive
miten pig metal and having a narrow orifice in its lower part to allow the molten
metal to fall in a fine jet; two electric conductors arranged for the fine jet of molten
metal to pass between them and thus be resolved into liquid dust; and pipes
arranged to inject into this fine incandescent dust, air, gas, vapour, or suitable
pulverulent substances for effecting the purification and partial oxidation of the
pig, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
3. For the manufacture of steel; an apparatus comprising a vessel to receive
molten pig metal and having a narrow orifice in its lower part to allow the molten
metal to fall in a fine jet; a revoluble disc serving to reduce the jet of molten
metal into liquid dust, and pipes arranged to introduce air or other suitable
ubstances into the said incandescent dust substantially as herein before described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.