IMPROVEMENTS IN SMELTING COPPER, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE GASES AND VAPOURS GIVEN OFF DURING THE SAID SMELTING
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Causer Ensell, of St. Helens, in the County
of Lancaster, Glass Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SMELTING COPPER, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE GASES AND
VAPOURS GIVEN OFF DURING THE SAID SMELTING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Causer Ensell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th December 1865.
I, HENRY CAUSER ENSELL, of St. Helens, in the County of .Lancaster;
Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SMELTING COPPER, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE GASES
AND. VAPOURS GIVEN OFF DURING THE SAID SMELTING," to be as follows:-
To smelt copper economically, that is, with less fuel and in less time than is
now required and taken by the processes and means practically in operation,
and to obtain valuable products from the gases and vapours given off during
smelting according to my Invention, are the objects which I have had in view.
A result of the proper carrying out of my improvements is, that the gases and
vapours which are allowed to escape into the air are of a comparatively indeed
almost entirely innocuous character.
To effect the smelting, which is the first part of my. Inyention, I employ
what I term." gaseous fuel," that is to say, I employ the gaseous products

page_text: obtained from and by burning coal in a furnace or chamber with a limited
supply of air, or the gaseous products of coal obtained by destructive dis-
tillation of it in closed vessels or retorts. I convey the said gaseous fuel
through a flue or pipe into an ordinary reverberatory or other suitable furnace
in which the charge of copper ore to be smelted is placed, and just before it,
the said gaseous fuel, enters or after it has entered the furnace, I allow it to
mix with atmospheric air or oxygen; immediately they come into contact or
mix intense combustion takes place. The air is allowed to enter through
openings in the furnace at atmospheric pressure, or it is forced in by a fan or
other means at pressure above that of the atmosphere. The oxygen and
gaseous fuel may also be forced in at pressure, but in ordinary practice the
simple openings will be found sufficient.
By my said gaseous fuel, which has the distinguishing character that it is
not in a state of active combustion until after I allow it to come into contact
or mix with air or oxygen as above mentioned, I obtain the greatest heat at
the proper place, that is, over the hearth of the furnace, and so effect the
smelting in a shorter time than is now required.
'
In practice at present I prefer to produce it from coal by slow combustion
thereof in the following manner :-I erect a furnace of any suitable material
and of any desired shape at a distance from the smelting furnace; in the
former there is a large chamber or space for coal, with openings from the air
thereinto. When the coal is kindled air passes through the said openings, which
I prefer to have at the sides, in sufficient quantity, regulating dampers being
provided to maintain slow combustion. Regulating dampers placed in the
flue leading from this furnace to the smelting furnace could also be used with
those first above mentioned or by themselves to prevent too rapid combustion
of the fuel. The coal can be fed to the said chamber or space in any con-
venient way; a hopper, with a slide therein, is a suitable arrangement. It
will be obvious that when a charge is being withdrawn from the smelting
furnace, or at any other time when a great heat is not required, the dampers
may be closed or partially closed, and the production of gaseous fuel stopped
or reduced, and in this way fuel economized.
The second part of my Invention consists of the employment of oxides of
iron, preferably the peroxide, as agents to collect products of the above
smelting, such as arsenic compounds and sulphur, for which they have an
affinity. The flue from the smelting furnace leads into a chamber of any
desired shape, in which the oxides of iron are disposed on grids or trays, and
the gases and vapours given off during the smelting are made to pass through
the said trays or grids and amongst the oxides of iron, in and by which they

page_text: are collected. . Coke towers, with jets of water to lower the temperature, of
the well-known kind, could be used alongside the chamber containing the
oxides of iron.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Causer Ensell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1866..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CAUSER ENBELL, of St. Helens, in the County of Lancaster, Glass Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Causer Ensell, Her special license that I, the said Henry
Causer Ensell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Henry Causer Ensell, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SMELTING COPPER, AND IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE
GASES AND VAPOURS GIVEN OFF DURING THE SAID SMELTING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Causer Ensell, my executors or
administrators; by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly, describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Causer Ensell, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
To smelt copper economically, that is, with less fuel and in less time than is
now required and taken by the processes and means practically in operation,
and to obtain valuable products from the gases and vapours given off during

page_text: smelting according to my Invention, are the objects which I have had in
view. A result of the proper carrying out of my improvements is that the
gases and vapours which are allowed to escape into the air are of a compa-
ratively indeed almost entirely innocuous character.
To effect the smelting, which is the first part of my Invention, I employ
what I term "gaseous fuel," that is to say, I employ the gaseous products
obtained from and by burning coal in a furnace or chamber. with a limited
supply of air, or the gaseous products of coal obtained by destructive distil-
lation of it in closed vessels or retorts. I convey the said gaseous fuel
through a flue or pipe into an ordinary reverberatory or other suitable furnace
in which the charge of copper to be smelted is placed, and just before it,
the said gaseous fuel enters, or after it has entered the furnace I allow it to
mix with atmospheric air or oxygen; immediately they come into contact or
mix intense combustion takes place. The air is allowed to enter through
openings in the furnace at atmospheric pressure, or it is forced in by a fan or
other means at pressure above that of the atmosphere; the oxygen and
gaseous fuel may also be forced in at pressure, but in ordinary practice the
simple openings will be found sufficient.
I
By my said gaseous fuel, which has the distinguishing character that it is
not in a state of active combustion until after I allow it to come into contact
or mix with air or oxygen, as above mentioned, I obtain the greatest heat at
the proper place, that is, over the hearth of the furnace, and so effect the
smelting in a shorter time than is now required. In practice, I prefer to
produce it from coal by slow combustion thereof in the following manner:
I erect a furnace of any suitable material and of any desired shape at a distance
from the smelting furnace; in the former there is a large chamber or space
for coal with openings from the air thereinto. When the coal is kindled the air
passes through the said openings, which I prefer to have at the sides, in
sufficient quantity, regulating dampers being provided to maintain slow com
bustion. Regulating dampers placed in the flue leading from this furnace to
the smelting furnace could also be used with those first above mentioned or by
themselves to prevent too rapid combustion of the fuel. The coal can be fed
to the said chamber or space in any convenient way; a hopper with a slide
therein is a suitable arrangement. It will be obvious that when a charge is
being withdrawn from the smelting furnace, or at any other time when a
great heat is not required, the dampers may be closed or partially closed
and the production of gaseous fuel stopped or reduced, and in this way fuel
economized.
The second part of my Invention consists of the employinent of oxides of

page_text: iron, preferably the peroxide, as agents to collect products of the above
smelting; such; as arsenic compounds and sulphur, for which they have an
affinity: The flue from the smelting furnace leads into a chamber of any
desired shape, in which the oxides of iron are disposed on grids or trays and
the gases and vapours given off during the smelting are made to pass through
the said trays or grids and, amongst the oxides of iron in and by which they
are.collected. Coke towers, with jets of water to lower the temperature, of
the well-known kind, could be used alongside the chamber containing the
oxides of iron.
That a. knowledge: of my 'improvements may be readily obtained; I have
attached hereto a Sheet of illustrative Drawings. All the views represent
longitudinal sections, Fig. 1 being the gaseous fuel-producing or slow com-
bustion chamber; Fig. 2, the copper smelting furnace with arrangement of
parts for supplying the gaseous fuel and air; and Fig. 3, the grids or trays and
walls for supporting the oxide of iron employed to collect products..
a (Fig. 1) is marked on the walls of the slow combustion furnace; b, coal
from which the gaseous fuel is' produced; cannel, rosin, oleaginous and other
substances may be used instead of coal. c, feeding hopper with closing
slide a;e, apertures for admitting air'; and f, gaseous fuel outlet flue, a regu-
lating damper 9 being provided. The openings e might also be provided with
an air supply regulating damper, so as more effectually to stop combustion
when gaseous fuel is not required.
It will be obvious the Drawings do not shew all the details; thus the door,
by which the ashes are removed is not shewn, neither are any fire-bars shewn;
although these could be used with advantage, the supply of air being in all
cases kept completely under control so as to prevent too active combustion in
the chamber. The said slow combustion furnace could be made to supply
one smelting furnace, or a doublé furnace, or made sufficiently large to supply
a considerable number; in all cases it should be constructed so as to be
capable of resisting internal pressure.
In Fig. 2, h is the crown and i the hearth of the smelting furnace; j is the
flue for conveying the gaseous fuel; k, the outlet flue, provided with regu-
lating damper 1. Around the flue or passage j there is an annular space
formed by the metal piece m, whereto air is supplied through the pipen either
at atmospheric pressure, should the chimney draught be strong, or, as by the
second part of my Invention the draught will be checked, by a fan or other
blowing machine. The air supplied through n (the details shewn are for air
at pressure) passes by the apertures o into and amongst the gaseous fuel; the
two when they meet cause intense combustion and heat over the hearth i.

page_text: When carburetted hydrogen gas is supplied in place of the gaseous fuel
produced in Fig. 1, the flue or passage or its equivalent will convey the gas
to the smelting furnace. Openings for admitting air into the furnace might
be made at other parts or positions in addition to or in place of those shewn
on the Sheet of Drawings; on this point any practical workman will readily
perceive what is required at the works in his care.
Fig. 3 has walls p with ledges q to support the grids or trays r, on which
the oxide of iron s rests; t and t¹ are entrance and exit flues, and u shews
water for cooling the products; a jet of water might be made to play on the
products. The oxide of iron which I prefer is known as "bog iron ore
"bog ochre." The apparatus in which it is placed for use may be provided
with valves and compartments in the same manner as purifiers used in gas
works. -
The furnaces shewn on the Drawings are represented as being principally
of brick or masonry, but it will be obvious that in many parts metal might be
employed, so also the relative proportions might be varied. .
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, I
would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First,. smelting copper by gaseous fuel, substantially as herein set forth, the
apparatus employed and claimed being illustrated on the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings...
And, secondly, the employment of oxides of iron to collect or fix products
of smelting by: the first part of my Invention, substantially as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Causer Ensell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
In the presence of
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
HENRY CAUSER ENSELL. (L.S.)
Liverpool.