A Process for Pulverising Difficultly Pulverisable Non-Metallic Substances.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process for Pulverising Difficultly Pulverisable Non-Metallic
Substances.
I, OTTOMAR ELSTNER, of Hailer, near Gelnhausen, Holland, Electrical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the preparation of a filling for the electrodes of secondary cells it has already
been the practice to finely divide the lead requisite for the filling by scattering it,
while it is melted, by means of a blast of vapour, air or gas. This method, which
heretofore has been applied on the one hand solely for electrical purposes and on
the other hand solely for metals, receives according to the present invention further
development and application, by its use for chemical purposes also, and particularly
for non-metallic substances. Among the numerous non-metallic substances used in
chemical industry, there is a large number which can be pulverised only with
extraordinary difficulty. This difficulty is overcome, however, in the simplest and
easiest way if the aforesaid method be applied, that is, if the non-metallic
substances in question be first melted and then scattered by a blast of air, vapour,
or gas. If air or gas instead of vapour be used for scattering, as high a temperature
can be imparted to the one or other of these scattering media as may be most
advantageous for the material to be scattered. By changing the temperature of
the scattering medium, also by changing the temperature of the material to be
scattered, and finally by changing the proportion of the medium and material to
each other, the degree of fineness of the pulverisation may be regulated as may be
desired; this is more easily achieved in the case of most non-metallic substances
than in the cases of metals. The method is particularly advantageously applied
for resins and for a large number of substances used in the dyeing industry, and
the adaptation of the method to non-imetallic substances and the knowledge that
the method is capable of such adaptation and use will prove of extraordinary service
to chemical industry.
19. 101
11007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
A Process
COMPLETE DIEUIFICATION
Pulverisin
Difficultly Pulverisable Non-Metallic
Substances.
I, OTTOMAR ELSTNER, of Hailer, near Gelnhausen, Holland, Electrical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
ED 077

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the preparation of a filling for the electrodes of secondary cells it has already
been the practice to finely divide the lead requisite for the filling by scattering it,
while it is melted, by means of a blast of vapour air or gas. This method which
heretofore has been applied on the one hand solely for electrical purposes and on
the other hand solely for metals, receives according to the present invention further
development and application, by its use for chemical purposes also, and particularly
for non-metallic substances. Among the numerous non-metallic substances used in
chemical industry, there is a large number which can be pulverised only with
extraordinary difficulty. This difficulty is overcome, however, in the simplest and
easiest way if the aforesaid method be applied, that is, if the non-metallic substances
in question be first melted and then scattered by a blast of air, vapour or gas. lf
air or gas instead of vapour be used for scattering, as high a temperature can be
imparted to the one or other of these scattering media as may be most advantageous
for the material to be scattered. By changing the temperature of the scattering
medium, also by changing the temperature of the material to be scattered, and
finally by changing the proportion of the medium and material to each other, the
degree of fineness of the pulverisation may be regulated as may be desired; this is
more easily achieved in the case of most non-metallic substances than in the case
of metals.
The method is particularly advantageously applied for resins and for a large
number of substances used in the dyeing industry and the adaptation of the method
to non-metallic substances and the knowledge that the method is capable of such
adaptation and use will prove of extraordinary service to chemical industry.
The substances to which the invention is applicable are as follows:-
1. Resins of all kinds or sorts (for instance colophony, turpentine and the like)
and mixtures of such with each other or with other non-metallic fusible substances,
especially such as hereinafter named:
2: Natural and artificial asphalt or bitumen and pitch and mixtures of such with
each other or with other non-metallic fusible substances, especially such as herein-
after named.
3. Non-metallic substances employed for the production of colours (for instance
anthracene, naphthalene, compounds such as salts and solid acids, for instance
salicylic acid, caustic potash, caustic soda, and the like) and mixtures or combinations
or compounds of such with each other or with other non-metallic fusible substances,
especially such as hereinbefore and hereinafter named.
4. Residual products and by-products of blast or smelting furnaces (for instance
Thomas-slag and the like) and mixtures of such with each other or with other non-
metallic fusible substances, especially such as hereinbefore named.
In carrying out the invention a small quantity of the fusible material in a molten
condition is caused to be acted upon by an annular jet of steam or air or other gas
under pressure, whereby it is propelled out of a nozzle in such manner that on
issuing from the nozzle the material is converted by the annular jet of steam &c.
penetrating into it, into powder or dust, the particles of which after issuing from the
nozzle are carried forward a certain distance and are then allowed to fall in a cooled
condition, or are caught up in suitable receptacles.
The pulverising medium is advantageously used in a heated or superheated
condition, as in this case a stoppage of the supply of the molten material to the
point of discharge cannot occur, as any cooling of the material in transit, or of the
conduit tube, is not only prevented, but the heat of the pulverising medium which
surrounds such tube tends to maintain the molten material in the fluid condition
necessary for its perfect pulverisation. The material to be pulverised is melted in a
receptacle and is conveyed by a pipe dipping into the molten material to the
pulverising nozzle.
The said pipe is advantageously made to penetrate into the molten material near

page_text: to the bottom of the melting vessel so as to be pressed by the column of liquid
material itself through the pipe to the pulverising nozzle, so that only the last
portions of the material will have to be drawn out by the suction of the jet of
pulverising medium.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews a vertical section of an apparatus
suitable for the purpose, and Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the pulverising
nozzle.
a is a vessel containing the material to be pulverised which is heated to the fused
condition by a fire.
Above the latter is arranged a coil for superheating the supply of steam air or
gas employed for pulverising the melted material the pipe 6' from which is led to a
chamber c to which is also connected a pipe d leading from the vessel a.
The pipe d
communicates with a pipe c¹ leading through chamber c terminating in a nozzle
presented centrally within a nozzle formed on, the end of chamber c. The steam or
other fluid enters chamber c from coil b and in issuing through the nozzle of the
chamber, draws the molten material from, the vessel a and converts it into spray
which at once solidifies into the form of fine granules or dust. If necessary the
chamber c may be heated by a gas jet e, as shewn.
I make no claim to the above described apparatus as forming part of my present
invention but :-
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 :-
The application of the process for finely pulverising difficultly pulverisable
substances by melting them and then scattering them by means of vapour, air or
gas, to the pulverisation of non-metallic substances, substantially as herein
described.
Dated thi. 10th
1000