An Improved Manufacture of Lead Oxide and White Lead, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
An Improved Manufacture of Lead Oxide and White Lead,
and Apparatus therefor.
We, WILLIAM EVEN STEPHENSON BUNN, of 1303, Perry Avenue, Peoria, Illinois,
United States of America, Auctioneer and Estate Agent, and ENSLEY JAY CASE,
of 601, North Munroe Street, Peoria, Illinois, United States of America, Wholesale
Druggist, 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: —
Our invention relates to the production or manufacture of white lead and lead
oxide by a process in which coarse particles of lead are mixed with water and
agitated in an open tub or other suitable receptacle and the lead by attrition
caused by agitation, is reduced to a comminuted condition; the lead particles
after such reduction being held in suspension in the water and the mixture of
lead and water is passed to a revolvable cylinder or other suitable agitating recep
tacle and it is exposed to a rolling or tumbling motion in the presence of com-
pressed air within the said cylinder or other suitable receptacle provided for
containing the mixture to produce lead oxide or litharge. And when it is desired
to produce white lead, the lead oxide product is passed through a flume or other
suitable mechanical means that may be provided for the purpose of separating
metallic lead from the lead oxide as the mixture flows there through, and the
said mixture is conducted thence into a settling tank and after being allowed
to stand for a period of time is taken therefrom and deposited in a second revol-
uble cylinder or other suitable agitating container where the lead oxide, which
is still mixed with water, is again subjected to a rolling or tumbling motion in
the presence of carbon-dioxide under compression in the cylinder or container
which converts the lead oxide, into lead carbonate, which is the basis of white
lead.
Our invention, therefore, consists in the reduction of metallic lead to a com-
minuted state by friction when mixed with water and agitated; the subjecting
of these particles of metallic lead held in suspension in a body of water to the
action of atmospheric air under compression within a cylinder or suitable con-
tainer which will produce litharge or lead oxide; and extending the process when
it is desired to reduce the lead oxide product to white lead the invention, under
such circumstances, further consists in the passing of the lead oxide mixed with
water to cause it to flow freely, through a flume or other suitable separator for
abstracting the metallic lead that has not been chemically acted upon, from the
lead oxide; the depositing of the flow through the flume or separator into the
settling tank, and allowing it to stand for a period of time for the purpose of
separating the lead oxide from the water or a portion thereof; and the subjecting
of the oxide taken from the settling tank and mixed with water to the action
of carbon-dioxide under compression within a cylinder or other suitable receptacle
within which the mixture is being agitated and during the period of such agita-
tion, to produce lead carbonate.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, we illustrate an apparatus adapted to carry out
our invention into practical effect. In said drawings:-
Figure 1 shows in elevation the complete apparatus above referred to;
Figure 2 shows a modified form of a portion of the complete device.
The
In the construction shown in the aforesaid drawing A is a stationary tub, which
is shown as supported by a suitable frame; a, a, a, a are stationary agitators
which are auxiliary to the movable agitators a³, which are fixed to the revolving
frame A2, and form a sort of rake, said rake being fixed upon the revolving
shaft A3 which is properly journaled in the frame work of the tub A.
agitators a and a² which are respectively stationary and movable are set at angles
with each other, that is the stationary with the movable agitators and arranged to
augment agitation and to increase the friction of the parts of the mixture designed
to be contained therein.
a³ is a bevel cog-wheel on shaft A³ and a is a bevel cog-wheel on shaft A4,
the said shaft A being provided with a suitable sprocket wheel and is connected
with the line shaft X by means of a suitable sprocket-chain whereby the rake A
is revolved within the tub A. The interior of the tub may be provided with any
auxiliary parts that may be deemed necessary to carry out the process.
In Figure 2 of the drawing, we have shown another form of reducer which
we may use to take the place of the tub A if we desire. Referring to the said draw-
ing N is a hexagonal horizontally disposed revoluble receptacle having auxiliary
trunnions in the standards n,n; n' is a sprocket wheel on one of the trunnions
and is a sprocket chain for conveying a rotary motion thereto and to the recep-
tacle N from a line shaft with which it may be connected but the rotary motion
may be imparted in any suitable and well known manner. n3 is a water pipe
leading into the receptacle N through one of the trunnions which is pur-
posely made hollow to admit the same: №4 is a manhole in the same receptacle ;
n³ is a stop cock provided with an outlet for the mixture contained in the recep-
tacle and no is a spout immediately below the rceptacle N. The interior of this
receptacle N may be provided with any stirring means that may be deemed
necessary to carry out the process successfully.
Referring again to Figure 1, a is a stop cock provided as an outlet for the
mixture contained in the tub and a6 is a spout immediately below the said stop-
cock and designed to receive the flow therefrom and from the cock a³.
B represents a horizontally arranged cylinder or drum of wood or metal as
desired provided with axle trunnions, by which it is journaled in the end stand-
ards b, b, rotary motion being imparted to the cylinder by means of the sprocket
chain which connects sprocket wheel 63 on one of the trunnions with a sprocket
wheel on the line shaft X, or in any suitable and well-known manner.
B¹ is a
man-hole in the circumference of the cylinder for access into the interior of the
same and through which the mixture of comminuted lead and water from the
tub A is passed into the cylinder B; this supply can be introduced into said
cylinder before the starting of the apparatus and subsequent supplies may be
added in the same manner when the cylinder is stationary, or the supply may be
added automatically by means of any suitable feeding mechanism. The interior
of the cylinder may be provided with any stirring means that may be deemed
necessary to carry out the process successfully.
63 is an air induction pipe and 6 is an air eduction pipe, the trunnions of the
cylinder being made hollow to admit said pipes, the air induction pipe b is
connected with a suitable air compressor and 65 is a gage connected with the air
pipe and 66 is a valve for controlling the escape of air from the cylinder; 67 is
a faucet for drawing off the contents of the cylinder.
C is a flume which has a gradual decline as shown: C¹ is a trough leading into
the flume and designed to conduct the lead-oxide product from cylinder B into
said flume; D is a spout receiving the flow from the flume.
E is a settling tank receiving the flow from spout D: e, e¹, are faucets for
drawing off portions of the mixture within the tank.

page_text: F represents a horizontally arranged cylinder or drum of wood or metal as
desired, provided with axle trunnions by which it is journaled in the end stand-
ards ff; rotary motion being imparted to the cylinder by means of the sprocket
chain connections between one of the trunnions of the cylinder and the line
shaft X, or in any suitable and well known manner. F1 is a man-hole in the
circumference of the cylinder for access to the interior of the same and through
which the supply of mixed lead-oxide and water drawn off from settling tank E
can be introduced into the cylinder before the starting of the apparatus and
while the cylinder is stationary, a faucet may be provided in the lower portion
of the settling tank E, to draw off the lead-oxide and water therefrom and a
trough may be provided for conducting the same into the cylinder F, through
the man-hole F¹ of a suitable automatic feeding mechanism may be provided
for the purpose. The interior of the cylinder may be provided with any stirring
means that may be deemed necessary to carry out the process successfully.
f is a carbon-dioxide induction pipe and 3, is an eduction pipe, the trunnions
of the cylinder being hollow to admit said pipes; the induction pipe f¹, com-
municates with a suitable compressor and carbon-dioxide generator and the
carbon-dioxide is supplied to cylinder F under compression; 13 is a gage con-
nected with f, f is a valve for controlling the escape from eduction pipe fa; f
is a faucet for drawing off the contents of the cylinder and fe is a spout for
receiving the flow from said cylinder and for conducting it to a waiting receptacle.
Suitable gages not shown may be employed to indicate the temperature pre-
vailing within the reducer A and the cylinders B and F.
In carrying out the process a quantity of water is placed in the tub A, which
we term the reducer, (which supply may be introduced at the top portion thereof)
the coarse particles of lead are also placed therein and in the operation of the
complete mechanism the revolving of the rake A2 will cause the coarse particles
of lead, in the course of time to be reduced to a comminuted state, and in such
condition they will be held in suspension within the water and in this condition
they are conducted into cylinder B, which we call the oxidizer, and in the opera-
tion of the complete mechanism the comminuted lead held in suspension in the
water is subjected to a rolling or tumbling motion in the presence of atmos-
pheric air, which is supplied continually, during the revolution of the cylinder
under compression therein which ultimately results in the production of an oxide
of lead.
The length of time that the comminuted lead shall be subjected to the agita-
tion and atmospheric air influence may be regulated as desired and the lead may
be subjected to any desired degree of heat by any suitable mechanical means
that may be provided during this step of the process to produce the particular
character or kind of lead-oxide that may be desired.
When it is desired that the lead-oxide product from the oxidizer shall be used
as the base for white lead the product will be drawn off from the oxidizer while
the cylinder is stationary and is caused to flow slowly through the flume C, and
while flowing through said flume particles of metallic lead which have not been
oxidized will settle to the bottom of the flume and the mixture of lead-oxide and
water flow into the settling tank E and the metallic lead that has been deposited
in the bottom of the flume will be removed, that is, it is designed that it should
be removed when a quantity of the same has accumulated in the bottom of the
flume and this metallic lead may be again placed within the reducer and again
subjected to the steps of the process above enumerated. The mixture of lead-
oxide and water is allowed to stand within the settler E, for a period of time and
the lead-oxide will settle to the bottom portion of the tank and a portion of the
water remaining at the top will be drawn off and the portion of the mixture
remaining will be conducted from the settler into cylinder F, which we call the
carbonator where the lead-oxide mixed with a sufficient quantity of water to enable
it to be fully agitated will be subjected to a rolling and tumbling motion during
the rotation of the carbonator in the presence of carbon-dioxide which is supplied

page_text: to the carbonator continually during the rotation thereof and under pressure
therein and while it is thus subjected to the carbon-dioxide influence and as.the
mixture thickens on account of the carbon absorption and as the temperature
rises on account of chemical reaction of the process, water may be supplied to
maintain the mixture in a suitable condition to be agitated and to maintain the
desired temperature such agitation and carbondioxide influence being continued
until the lead-oxide has been converted into lead-carbonate, when it is drawn off
form the carbonator and the lead-carbonate product is subjected to any suitable
process, that may be desired to abstract the water therefrom, that is, it may be
dried or it may be run through a separator of the rapidly revolving kind when
the water or the greater portion thereof will be separated from the lead-carbonate
which said lead-carbonate may be mixed with oil and passed through the ordinary
and well known process of grinding, drying, etc., until it is finally reduced to a
condition suitable for commercial use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
-
(1) The herein described improvement in the art of making lead oxide and
white lead, continuously, which consists in, first, reducing metallic lead by attri-
tion and agitation in water, second conducting the comminuted lead, mixed with
water, into a separate vessel and therein subjecting the same to a rolling and
tumbling motion in the presence of compressed air, third, settling the non-oxi-
dized metallic lead and floating off the lead oxide, and then subjecting the lead
oxide, mixed with water, to a further rolling and tumbling motion and to the
action of carbon dioxide under pressure, substantially as specified.
(2) In apparatus for making lead oxide and white lead, the combination of a
rotary cylinder supported on hollow trunnions and provided with an inlet and
an outlet an induction pipe for compressed air connected with one of the cylinder
trunnions and an eduction pipe connected with the other trunnion, a flume to
receive water and lead oxide from said cylinder, a settling tank to receive the
discharge from the flume, a rotary cylinder supported on hollow trunnions and
arranged to receive lead oxide and water from the settling tank, an induction
pipe for carbon dioxide connected with one of the trunnions of said cylinder
and an eduction pipe connected with the other trunnions substantially as and
for the purposes described.
(3) In apparatus for making lead oxide and white lead the combination of a
reducing vessel or tub open at the top and provided with an outlet and with sta-
tionary and movable agitators, a rotary cylinder provided with an inlet and outlet
and arranged to receive water and comminuted lead from the said reducing vessel,
means for introducing compressed air into said cylinder, a flume to receive dis-
charge of water and lead oxide from the said oxidizing cylinder, a settling tank
to receive the discharge from said flume, a rotary cylinder arranged to receive
water and lead oxide from said settling tank, and means for introducing carbon
dioxide under pressure into said last named cylinder, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
this 19th day of December 1999.
=1'
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.