Improvements relating to Apparatus for Smelting and otherwise Treating Ores.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements relating to Apparatus for Smelting and otherwise
Treating Ores.
We, PHINEAS HAZEN ADAMS, Junr., Mechanic, and ORSSMAS THEOPHILUS XENOPHON
ADAMS, Mechanic, both of 31 South Canal Street Chicago, Illinois in the United
States of America, 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 :-
The object of our invention is to arrange a plant or system of apparatus for use
in smelting ores and centrifugally treating the resulting materials, and our invention
consists in the arrangement and combination of the various features hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of a number of smelting furnaces, with our centrifugal
apparatus in place.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2, 2, of Figure 1 showing the lower part of
one of the smelting furnaces, and one of the centrifugal apparatus in elevation the
apparatus being located in an excavation.
Figure 3 is a cross section of one of the troughs or pipes for conveying the
molten material from the smelting furnace to the centrifugal apparatus, taken in
the line 3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, and
Figure is a side elevation of the lower part of a smelting furnace, a horizontal
centrifugal apparatus and a precipitating receptacle arranged between the two.
In arranging our plant for use in smelting ores and centrifugally treating the
resulting materials as they flow from the smelting furnaces and while the substances
treated are in a molten condition by the action of centrifugal force, we prefer to
arrange the smelting furnace or furnaces and the centrifugal apparatus or apparatuses
in such relation to each other that the material to be treated may be conveyed directly
and by gravity, from the smelting furnaces to the apparatus in which it is treated. To
this end we prefer to arrange several smelting furnaces preferably in close proximity
to each other, and in a line or row, and to arrange a number of centrifugal apparatuses
in proximity to each other and to the smelting furnaces and preferably in a row on
the same side of the smelting furnaces. We do not propose in this patent to claim
any special construction of smelting furnace, nor any special construction of centrifugal
apparatus. We contemplate the use of different kinds of smelting furnaces, and of
different kinds of centrifugal apparatuses, whether arranged vertically or horizontally.
We need not therefore enter into the details of construction of either the furnaces or
the centrifugal apparatuses, but shall proceed to describe the adaptation of each to the
other to secure the results desired in the most convenient and economical manner.
After arranging a number of smelting furnaces A intended to enter into the plant,
in their respective positions, and as before said, preferably in a row, we arrange one
or more centrifugal apparatuses B, close to them, preferably in a row where more than
one are used and preferably in a trench or excavation C so as to bring them into such
relative height to the smelting furnaces as that the material, in a molten state, may
flow directly from the furnaces to the apparatus. The trench or excavation in which

page_text: the centrifugal apparatus are arranged should be of sufficient size to permit access to
the apparatus, and if desired, the introduction of a car, or other means along a
passage J for conveying away the material discharged by centrifugal force from the
receiving vessel of the apparatus. Although we have shown the centrifugal appa-
ratuses as extending slightly above the surface of the ground, we would recommend
that they be arranged low enough down to permit the trench or excavation in which
they are located to be covered so as to present a uniform surface, but the trench
or excavation should be covered by a floor or cover F, whether the tops of the
centrifugal apparatus extend above the surface of the ground or not, as it is important
to provide a level even surface before the furnaces for conducting operations. We
also prefer to provide the trench or excavation with extensions or conduits F along
which the belts or shafts for transmitting power to rotate the actuating shaft of the
centrifugal apparatus may be conveyed. Of course it will be understood that the
power for rotating the actuating shafts will be provided by the use of a steam engine,
water-power or other convenient means, which need not be described in detail.
Extending from each of the smelting furnaces to the centrifugal apparatus, we
arrange spouts or conduits G, as shown in the different figures of the drawings.
Where a less number of centrifugal apparatus than smelting furnaces are used, the
molten material from more than one smelting furnace may be carried to the same
centrifugal apparatus as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. In Figure 3 we
have shown a cross section of the pipe or spout where we have shown it with spaces
in its walls to prevent the radiation of heat, but, however the pipes or spouts may he
made, we prefer to provide them with a cover, so that the material flowing from the
smelting furnaces will be maintained at as great a heat as possible, so as to preserve
its fluidity. We also prefer to use a precipitating receiver H, as shown in Figure 4
and in dotted lines in Figure 1. The object of this precipitating receiver is to afford
means to permit the heavier particles of the material, which will readily precipitate to
settle and be caught without passing then into the centrifugal apparatus. This pre-
cipitating receiver, however, may be dispensed with, and all of the material carried
into the centrifugal apparatus, if preferred or it may form the sole conduit between
the smelting furnaces and the receiving vessels, dispensing with pipes or spouts. If
used, however it may be provided with a spout or tap-hole I, to enable the material
settling in it to be drawn off from time to time, as desired.
In operation the ores or metals, of whatever kind they may be, are smelted or
reduced to a molten condition in the smelting furnaces, in the usual way. When thus
reduced to a condition of fluidity the material is conveyed from the smelting furnaces
into the centrifugal apparatus. The receiving vessel of the centrifugal apparatuses are
rotated at a very high rate of speed, preferably several thousand revolutions a minute,
which causes the heavier particles in the material treated to pass to the outside where
they are retained and the lighter particles to the centre of the rotating receiving vessel
whence they are discharged by the action of centrifugal force. After the lighter
particles of the material have been discharged from the receiving vessels, they are
caught, in any convenient way and flowed or conveyed into the cars or receptacles
provided for their removal, whence they are taken from time to time, and pumped
or deposited wherever desired. In the drawings we have shown an opening or
passage J along which we preferably provide a track, on which the cars are moved
as they are introduced to the trench or excavation, or conveyed away to receive or to
carry off the load of material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood
that we claim :-
a
First. In a plant for smelting ores and centrifugally treating the resulting materials,
the combination of a smeltering furnace for reducing ores to a molten condition,
centrifugal apparatus provided with a revoluble receiving vessel adapted to receive
molten material to be treated, pipes, spouts or conduits connecting the smelting furnace
with the receiving vessel through which the molten material to be treated may be

page_text: flowed into the same and means for rotating such receiving vessel, substantially as
described.
Second. In a plant for smelting ores and centrifugally treating the resulting
materials, the combination of a smelting furnace for reducing ores to a molten con-
dition, a centrifugal apparatus provided with a revoluble receiving vessel adapted to
receive molten material to be treated, pipes spouts or conduits connecting the smelting
furnace with the receiving vessel through which the molten material to be treated may
be flowed into the same, a precipitating receiver intermediate the smelting furnace and
the receiving vessel, into which the heaviest particles of the molten material may
settle, and means for rotating the receiving vessel, substantially as described.
Third. In a plant for smelting ores and centrifugally treating the resulting materials,
the combination of a smelting furnace for reducing ores to a molten condition, a cen-
trifugal apparatus provided with a revoluble receiving vessel adapted to receive molten
material to be treated, and arranged in an excavation bringing the mouth of the
receiving vessel below the tapping point of the smelting furnace, pipes, spouts or con-
duits connecting the smelting furnace with the receiving vessel through which the
molten matérial to be treated may be flowed into the same, and means for rotating
such receiving vessel, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a plant for smelting ores and centrifugally treating the resulting
materials, the combination of a smelting furnace for reducing ores to a molten con-
dition a centrifugal apparatus provided with a revoluble receiving vessel adapted to
receive molten material to be treated, and arranged in an excavation bringing the
mouth of the receiving vessel below the tapping point of the smelting furnace, a
passage to the excavation containing the centrifugal apparatus, a floor or covering
over such passage, pipes spouts or conduits connecting the smeltering furnace with
the receiving vessel through which the molten material to be treated may be flowed
into the same and means for rotating such receiving vessel, substantially as
described.
Fifth. In a plant for smelting ores and centrifugal treating the resulting materials,
the combination of a smelting furnace for reducing ores to a molten condition a cen-
trifugal apparatus provided with a revoluble receiving vessel adapted to receive molten
material to be treated, and arranged in an excavation bringing the mouth of the
receiving vessel below the tapping point of the smelting furnace, branch excavations
or conduits affording facilities for the introduction of the means for rotating vessel,
pipes spouts or conduits connecting the smelting furnace with the receiving vessel
through which the molten material to be treated may be flowed into the same, and
means for rotating such receiving vessel, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of July 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.