An Improved Melting and Reducing Furnace.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Melting and Reducing Furnace.
I, RUDOLF URBANITZKY, of No. 9 Hofgasse, Linz-on-the-Danube, in the
Empire of Austro-Hungary, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The improvements forming the subject of this invention relate to the melting and
reducing furnace forming the subject of former Letters. Patent No. 6965 of
April 4, 1893; the end which these improvements are designed to attain being, to
adapt the said furnace for use in obtaining aluminium.
With this object in view, it is proposed to make the inner chamber or shaft of
the furnace so short as to leave only the portion provided with the basic lining, the,
mouth or orifice of which is closed by a lid or cover, which carries the positive
electrodes together with their fittings or accessories. This lid like the lower or
supporting plate, arranged at the lower orifice of the furnace has a current of water
circulating in contact with, or through, it, and it is adapted to turn or oscillate
backwards and forwards about its central vertical axis, whereby the entire surface
of the molten metal, below the carbon electrodes, is subjected to the action of the
flame-arc.
In the centre of the metal lid there is erected a vertical tube, surrounded by a
cooling jacket and serving both to discharge the gases as they are evolved, and to
admit the ores to be melted or reduced (or, where aluminium is to be obtained, to
admit alumina).
The rocking or swinging motion, in alternate directions, may be imparted to the
lid either by hand or in any other convenient manner, by electricity, for example,
a current, branching off the main or working" current, being employed to set in
motion a small auxiliary motor engine in the well-known manner; and, similarly,
the positive electrodes may be shifted or adjusted within their guides by hand or
any other suitable means.
The construction of a melting and reducing furnace, in accordance with this
invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section thereof, on the line of Figure 2; and
Figure 2 is an horizontal section on the line y-y of Figure.1.
As shown, the improved furnace consists of a very short shaft or chamber,
constructed of basic non-conducting material b', its bottom being formed of a wedge-
shaped body c, of electrical carbon, which rests upon a plate c' of copper; which
plate also carries the projection or stud d which serves for the attachment of the
insulated cable e protected by the fire-clay pipe f. The copper plate c¹ is pressed
by fire-clay blocks or wedges g against the bottom piece c, which is thereby forced
into the furnace-shaft orifice.
The positive electrodes 1, consisting of carbon bars arranged edgewise, are
connected with the lid r by their guides p. The said lid is supported by balls,
located in a groove t, which is provided for the purpose in the plate arranged at
the orifice of the shaft, the arrangement being such that the said lid may readily
be turned about its central vertical axis.
The lid is hollow, as are also the lower plate
and guides p, all of which parts
are constantly traversed by currents of cooling water.
In the centre of the lid there is provided a vertical tube u which serves both
for the discharge of the gases evolved in the course of the operation of the

page_text: furnace, and for the admission into the latter of supplies of ore (or alumina, in the
case of aluminium manufacture) to be melted or reduced; such tube being
surrounded by a cooling jacket u¹.
This cooling jacket should preferably be connected with the hollow spaces of the
guides p, lid and plate r, so that one common cooling water supply pipe may
serve to feed all these parts.
In the drawing, the lid is shown as being connected with the lower plate by a
flexible tube w, enabling the said lid to be swung round as before mentioned ;
while w designates the narrow tubes connecting the cooling jacket u¹ with the
hollow spaces within the guides p.
The communication of the hollow spaces of the said guides with the hollow space.
within the lid is direct.
The cooling water is first conducted through the flexible or other tube into the
cooling jacket u', whence it flows through the narrow tubes w¹ into the guides p,
and thence into the lid from which, through the flexible tube w, it passes into the
lower plater, whence it is eventually discharged.
'As before stated, the lid may be reciprocated either by hand, or by suitable
mechanical or electrical appliances; and the same remark applies to the carbon
electrodes adjustable in their guides p.
To enable the lid and its attachments (p and u) to perform the above-mentioned
reciprocating or alternate swinging motion, loosely suspended cables v บ are
provided, through which, with the assistance of brushes h, current is sent to the
positive carbon electrodes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what. I
claim is :-
:-
(1.) A melting and reducing furnace specially adapted for use in obtaining
aluminium, consisting of a short shaft or chamber, such as b', made of basic non-
conducting material; the inlet orifice of such shaft being closed by a lid or cover,.
such as r, carrying the guides p for the radially arranged positive electrodes ; the
said lid being adapted, for the purpose of utilizing the electrical flame-arc to better
advantage, to be turned or swung backwards and forwards on its central vertical
axis, and provided,-like the electrode-guides p,-with means for cooling it with
water; and such furnace further consisting of a carbon block or body, such as c,
forming the negative electrode and resting upon, or supported by, a metal plate,
such as c', which, for the purpose of tightly closing the furnace-shaft, is forced into
or against the bottom orifice of the furnace, by means of fire-clay blocks or wedges,
such as g.
(2.) In a melting or reducing furnace of the class generically described in the
first claim, the provision of a hollow plate, such as ; arranged to be cooled with
water, and serving for supporting the lid r; such plate having a groove t formed
in its upper side or surface, in which groove balls, such as s, are located, whereon
the said lid is arranged to rest, so that it may be readily reciprocated or swung
in alternate directions.
+
(3.) In a melting and reducing furnace of the class referred to in the first claim,
the provision on the lid of a central tube, such as u, fitted with means for cooling.
it with water, and serving the double purpose of discharging the gases generated in
the furnace and of admitting to the furnace the ores (or, in the case of aluminium
manufacture, alumina) to be melted or reduced therein.
Dated this 9th day of April 1895
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.