IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING AND PURIFYING OF METALS OTHER THAN IRON
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Joseph Laveissière, of No. 58, Rue de la
Verrerie, in the City of Paris, Merchant, for the Invention of
** IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING AND PURIFYING OF METALS OTHER THAN
IRON."
Sealed the 16th October 1874, and dated the 18th May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Joseph Laveissière
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th May 1874.
I, JULES JOSEPH LAVEISSIÈRE, of No. 58, Rue de la Verrerie, in the
City of Paris, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING AND PURIFYING OF METALS OTHER THAN .
IRON," to be as follows:-
The refining and purifying of the metals, and especially of copper,
is performed by the oxydation of the various foreign metals contained.
in them. This oxydation is obtained by causing air to pass over or be
injected into the surface of the bath. The surface in contact with the
.

page_text: air is increased by agitating the bath. Steam also has for several years
been used as a means of oxydation, either by blowing it over the surface
of the bath, or by introducing it at the bottom of the bath at a sufficient
pressure by means of a pipe. This last system has the advantage of
putting the steam into intimate contact with the mass of metal through
which it traverses in rising to the surface. All these systems have the
inconvenience of cooling the bath of metal, and thus preventing the
operation from being prolonged beyond the time of the cooling of the
metal in spite of the care which may have been taken to keep it hot,
either by passing flame over its surface in a reverberatory furnace, or by
heating the outside of the pot.
My Invention consists in employing for the various operations which
constitute the refining and purifying processes, gas, air, and even vapour
heated to a temperature more elevated than the point of fusion of the
metal to be treated, putting these gases into complete communication
with every molecule of the mass to be treated by passing them in as
divided a state as possible through the mass, and by employing special
gases according to the effect to be produced; for example, air or oxygen
when it is wished to oxydise, 'and oxide of carbon or hydrogen when it
is wished to deoxydize, and so on; in fact, using the gas or vapour
necessary to produce the desired result.
.:
I operate as follows:--I employ, by preference, in the treatment of
the metals an apparatus known in metallargy as a Bessemer converter
very similar to those used in the drect production of steel. In place
however of using cold air, as in that manufacture, I introduce. gas
which has previously been heated to a temperature sufficient not only
to prevent the solidification of the metal, but even to maintain it in a
very liquid state, and to allow the operation to be prolonged or recom-
menced by alternating the gases employed until the refining and
purifying has been carried to the degree desired. Take for example
the refining and purifying of copper.
"The quantity of metal which it is wished to treat in the one operation
is melted in a furnace near the apparatus; oxygen or air heated and
compressed is then introduced into the converter which soon heats the
sides. The copper previously melted as explained is then run into the
converter, either directly by a channel, or by ladles. The hot gas con-
tinues to be supplied under a pressure exceeding that produced by the
height of the melted metal in the bath, thus preventing the copper

page_text: from passing through the numerous holes situated in the bottom of the
converter (the latter, if it is an oscillating one, ought to be placed
vertically before the introduction of the metal). The oxygen or air
passing through this mass of copper agitates it violently, and comes
easily into successive contact with all its molecules. The foreign. bodies,
such as iron, arsenic, antimony, &c., which the copper contains oxidize
before it and rise to the surface or volatilize.
The duration that should be given to the operation can be ascertained
either by examining the flames with a spectroscope, which will shew
when they contain no more of the foreign matters, or by taking an
assay, or again by experience which perhaps will be sufficient as the
only inconvenience of passing the limit is that a certain quantity of
the copper will be oxidized.
When it is judged that the operation has been carried sufficiently
far, and where an oscillating apparatus is used when it has been turned
into the horizontal position, the blast of hot air is stopped, the scoria
produced on the surface of the bath is removed with a rabble, another
gas, such as oxide of carbon, or illuminating gas, compressed and heated
as before is blown into the convertor.
As soon as the gas comes with a sufficient pressure the apparatus is
replaced into a vertical position. The oxide of carbon in traversing
the metallic mass successively encounters all the molecales of oxidised
copper, and robs them of the oxygen they contain. This operation is
stopped when the metal contains no more oxide that the quantity desired.
to give it the quality requisite for the work to which it is destined. The
apparatus is returned into the horizontal position, the supply of gas
is stopped, and the metal is poured either into a ladle, or by sufficiently
inclining the convertor directly into the ingot moulds.
When a fixed convertor is used the operation is divided into two-
parts; the first comprises the oxydation produced by a jet of oxygen
or air, and when this is accomplished the supply of the hot gas is.
stopped, and the metal having now nothing to stop it passes rapidly
through the holes at the bottom and falls on to an inclined sole and
runs out by an orifice which is unstopped, when the jet of gas is
turned off into a ladle placed to receive it. The scoria is skimmed
off this ladle, and whilst this is being donc oxide of carbon, or illu..
minating gas heated and compressed as before explained, is passed into
the convertor.

page_text: The second part of the operation is conducted, as already described,
for the oscillating convertor, and when it is complete the supply of gas
is stopped, and, as described in the first part, the metal runs through
the holes in the bottom and is again received into a ladle, or into ingot
moulds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jules Joseph Lavcissière in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 17th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
JOSEPH LAVEISSIÈRE, of No. 58, Rue de la Verrerie, in the City of
Paris, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Jules Joseph Laveissière, Her
special license, that I, the said Jules Joseph Laveissière, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jules Joseph
Laveissière, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 REFINING AND PURIFYING OF METALS OTHER THAN IRON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jules Joseph.
Lavcissière, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW. KNOW YE, that I, the said Jules Joseph Laveissière, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner. the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
ánd by the following statement thereof, that is to say -
The refining and purifying of the metals, and especially of copper,
is performed by the oxydation of the various foreign metals contained
in them. This oxydation is obtained by causing a draft of air to pass
over the surface of the bath or be blown on to it. The surface. in
contact with the air is increased by agitating the bath. Steam also
has for several years been used as a means of oxydation, either by
blowing it over the surface of the bath, or by introducing it at tlie
bottom of the bath at a sufficient pressure by means of a pipe. This
Jast system has the advantage of putting the steam into intimate contact
with the mass of metal which it traverses in rising to the surface. All
these systems have the inconvenience of cooling the bath of metal, and
thus preventing the operation from being prolonged beyond the time
of the cooling of the metal in spite of the care which may have been
taken to keep it hot, either by passing flame over its surface in a rever-
beratory furnace, or by heating the outside of the pot.
My Invention consists in employing, for the various operations which
constitute the refining and purifying processes, gas, air, and even vapour
heated to a temperature more elevated that the point of fusion of the
metal to be treated, putting these gases into complete communication
with every molecule of the mass to be treated by passing them in as
divided a state as possible through the mass, and by employing special
gases according to the effect to be produced; for example, air or oxygen
when it is wished to oxydize, and oxide of carbon or hydrogen when it
is wished. to deoxydize, and so on; in fact, using the gas or vapour
necessary to produce the desired result.
I operate as follows:-I employ, by preference, in the treatment of
the metals an apparatus known in metallurgy as a Bessemer convertor;
very similar to those used in the direct production of steel. In place
however of using cold air, as in that manufacture, I introduce gas
which has previously been heated to a temperature sufficient not only
to prevent the solidification of the metal, but even to maintain it in a
very liquid state, and to allow the operation to be prolonged or recom-
menced by alternating the gases employed until the refining and
purifying has been carried to the degree desired. I employ for this
purpose either the oscillating apparatus already described in many

page_text: works, but which I nevertheless shew in the Drawing marked A, or
it may be a fixed apparatus also described in many publications, and
of which the form is shewn in the drawing marked B.
I proceed as follows, take for example the refining and purifying of
copper :—
The quantity of metal which it is wished to treat in the one operation
is melted in a furnace near the apparatus; oxygen or air heated and
compressed is then introducted into the converter which soon heats the
sides. The copper previously melted as explained is then run into the
converter, either directly by a channel, or by ladles. The hot gas con-
tinues to be supplied under a pressure exceeding that produced by the
height of the melted metal in the bath, thus preventing the copper
from passing through the numerous holes situated in the bottom of the
converter (the latter, if it be an oscillating one, ought to be placed
vertically before the introduction of the metal). The oxygen or air
passing through this mass of copper agitates it violently, and comics
into successive contact with all its molecules. The foreign bodies, such
as iron, arsenic, antimony, &c., which the copper contains oxydize before
it and rise to the surface, or volatilize.
The duration that should be given to the operation can be ascertained
either by examining the flames with a spectroscope, which will shew
when they contain no more of the foreign matters, or by taking an
assay; or again by experience, which perhaps will be sufficient, as the
only inconvenience of passing the limit is that a certain quantity of
the copper will be.oxydized.
When it is judged that the operation has been carried sufficiently
far, and where an oscillating apparatus is used, when it has been turned
into the horizontal position the blast of hot air is stopped, the scoria
produced on the surface of the bath is removed with a rabble; another
gas, such as oxide of carbon or illuminating gas compressed and heated
as before, is blown into the convertor.
As soon as the gas comes with a sufficient pressure the apparatus is
replaced into a vertical position. The oxide of carbon in traversing
the metallic mass successively encounters all the molecules of oxydized
copper, and robs them of the oxygen they contain. This operation is
stopped when the metal contains no more oxide than the quantity desired
to give it the quality requisite for the work to which it is destined. The

page_text: apparatus is returned into the horizontal position, the supply of gas is
stopped, and the metal is poured either into a ladle, or by sufficiently
inclining the converter directly into ingot moulds.
When a fixed converter is used the operation is divided into two
parts the first comprises the oxydation produced by a jet of oxygen
or air, and when this is accomplished the supply of the hot gas is
stopped, and the metal having now nothing to stop it passes rapidly
through the holes at the bottom, falls on to an inclined sole, and runs
out by an orifice which is unstopped when the jet of gas is turned
off into a ladle placed to receive it. The scoria is skimmed off this
ladle, and whilst this is being done oxide of carbon or illuminating
gas heated and compressed as before explained is passed into the con-
verter.
The second part of the operation is conducted, as already described,
for the oscillating converter, and when it is complete the supply of gas
is stopped, and as described in the first part the metal runs through
the holes in the bottom, and is again received into a ladle or into ingot
moulds.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself precisely to the use of the apparatus herein
shewn and described; but what I claim is, the method of refining
and purifying of metals other than iron by means of gas, air, and
vapour heated to a temperature above the point of fusion of the metal
under treatment, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Joseph Laveissière, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Tenth day of November, in
the ycar of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
JULES JOSEPH LAVEISSIÈRE. (L.S.)