An Improved Process and Apparatus for Obtaining Sulphur and other Substances from Ores, for Purifying such Substances, and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 12th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 30th Sept., 1887,
RESERV
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Obtaining Sulphur and
other Substances from Ores, for Purifying such Substances, and
for similar Purposes.
We, JOHN RICHARDSON FRANCIS of Copper Ore Wharves, Swansea, in the County
of Glamorgan, Wales, Merchant, and FREDERICK FRANCIS JONES, of 57 Chaucer
Road, Herne Hill, in the County of Surrey Civil Engineer do hereby declaro the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The main object of our invention is to provide for obtaining various substances,
such as sulphur, arsenic or antimony, from copper and other ores by calcination,
sublimation and other trentinent as heroinafter set forth. But our said invention is
also applicable for the purification of various metallic and non-metallic substances, and
for other purposes.
Our improvements are chiefly designed to ensure the utilization of the lighter
portions of the gases or vapours which, in the processes of sublimation usually
employed, escape into the atmosphere. For this purpose we proceed as follows, that
is to say-We calcine the ores in a muffle furnace and conduct the gases or vapours
evolved therefrom through condensing chambers in which the larger proportion of
the said gases or vapours is condensed.
In some instances, we pass the gases or vapours through chambers containing
carbonaceous substances, for the purpose of eliminating, by chemical combination, the
oxygen contained in the said gases or vapours, before they enter the condensing
chambers.
Such proportion of the gases or vapours as may pass uncondensed through the said
chambers, we conduct into a shaft or stack in which they are permitted to ascend, and
which creates sufficient draught to draw the gases or vapours from the muffle through
the said chambers. In this shaft or stack, we place perforated trays, or other
receptacles containing limestone, magnesia or other suitable substances, which will be
attacked by the said gases or vapours; and we introduce water into the top of the
said shaft or stack in a suitable quantity, so that it will flow over the limestone or
other substance. The limestone, magnesia or the like, which has been attacked by

page_text: the gases or vapours, will thus be dissolved. The solutions thus formed are collected
in a tank or other receptacle at the base of the shaft or stack and are allowed to
settle.
The condensed gases or vapours are collected, in the condensing chambers, in a dry
state in the form of sulphur, arsenic or the like, and, in the said tank or other
receptacle, partly in a liquid and partly in a solid form, such as sulphurous acid,
bisulphate of lime, or sulphate of magnesia, according to the nature of the substances
under treatment. The products thus obtained may be either sold or utilized in any
desirable manner.
If two or more substances such as sulphur and arsenic, which volatilize at different
temperatures, are to be obtained from the ores, the sublimation of each substance
should be effected separately, the temperature being raised successively to the various
points of vaporization of the different substances.
In some instances, we conduct the gases evolved in the muffle directly into the
shaft or stack without passing them through condensing chambers.
Our improved apparatus is constructed as follows, that is to say;-The calcining
and subliming muffle has a door through which the charge is introduced into a
chamber therein. The flames and products of combustion from the grato, after
passing under and over or around the said chamber, pass off through a stack or
chimney.
The said muffle has a flue through which the gases evolved in the chamber pass into
the condensing chambers, of which there are one or more sets. We prefer to use
two sets of condensing chambers designed to work alternately, the change from one
set to the other set being effected by opening or closing suitable cocks or valves placed
in the said flue.
The condensing chambers are surrounded by a water jacket or tank for the purpose
of keeping the same cool. Suitable means are sometimes provided for causing a
constant circulation of the water in this jacket or tank. We prefer building the said
tank and chambers of brick and cement but other substances may be used. These
chambers are furnished with suitable doors to permit the withdrawal of the products
of condensation, and the dranght is regulated by a cock or valve on the flue-pipe.
The shaft or stack, into which the uncondensed gases from the condensing chambers
aro passed, is of suitable hoight and is provided with perforated arches upon which the
limestone or other substance is to be placed, and through which the said gases will
pass. A pipe is provided for supplying water, which, in its descent, combines with
and condenses the ascending gases. There are doorways in the shaft or stack for the
purpose of cleaning out and renewing the charge of limestone or other substance. A
settling tank or other receptacle is provided at the lower end of the said shaft
or stack.
Although we prefer to use the above described apparatus, yet it is obvious that our
improved process may be carried on by means of other suitable apparatus.
Moreover the construction of our improved apparatus may be somewhat modified
without departing from the nature of our invention.
n
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: An Improved Process and Apparatus for Obtaining Sulphur and
other Substances from Ores, for Purifying such Substances, and
for similar Purposes.
We, JOHN RICHARDSON FRANCIS, of Copper Ore Wharves, Swansea, in the County
of Glamorgan, Wales, Merchant, and FREDERICK FRANCIS JONES, of 57 Chaucer
Road, Herne Hill, in the County of Surrey, C.E. 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 main object of our invention is to provide for obtaining various substances,
such as sulphur, arsenic or antimony, from copper and other ores by calcination,
sublimation and other treatment as hereinafter set forth. Our said invention is
however, applicable for the purification, of various inetallic and non-metallic
substances, and for other purposes.
By our improvements, we are enabled to utilize the lighter portions of the gases
or vapours evolved from the ores or other substances under treatment, instead of
allowing them to escape into the atmosphere, as in the processes of calcination and
sublimation heretoforo usually employed.
In carrying on our process, we calcine the ores or the metallic or non-metallic
substances in a muffle-furnace, and conduct the gases or vapours evolved therefrom
through cooling or condensing chambers, in which a large proportion of the said gases
or vapours is condensed. The remainder of the said gases or vapours, that is to say,
such proportion thereof as may pass uncondensed through the said chambers, we
conduct into a shaft or stack, which creates sufficient draught to draw the gases or
vapours from the muffle through the said chambers. In this shaft or stack, wo place
perforated trays or other receptacles containing limestone, inagnesia or other suitable
substances, which will be attacked by the said gases or vapours as they ascend through
the said perforated trays; and we introduce water into the top of the said shaft or
stack in a suitable quantity, so that it will flow over the said limestone. or other
substance and will dissolve such portions thereof as have been attacked by the gases
or vapours. The solutions thus formed are collected in a tank or other receptacle at
the base of the shaft or stack and are allowed to settle.
The condensed gases or vapours are collected in the cooling or condensing chambers
in a dry state, for instance, in the form of sulphur, arsenic or the like; they are,
moreover, collected in the said tank or other receptacle partly in a liquid and partly in
a solid form, such as sulphurous acid, bisulphate of lime, or sulphate of magnesia,
according to the nature of the substances under treatment. The products thus
obtained may be sold or may be utilized in any other dosirable manner.
If two or more substances, such as sulphur and arsenic, which volatilize at different
temperatures, are to be obtained from the ores, the sublimation of each substance
should be effected separately, the temperature being raised successively to the various
points of vaporization of the different substances.
In some instances, we pass the gases or vapours (before they enter the cooling or

page_text: substances, for the purpose of eliminating, by chemical combination, the oxygen
contained in the said gases or vapours.
In other instances, we conduct the gases evolved in the muffle directly into the
shaft or stack without passing them through cooling or condensing chambers.
Our improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan,
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and
Figure 3 is an end clovation of the said apparatus.
A is the calcining and subliming muffle, which is formed with a chamber a having
a door a¹ through which the charge is to be introduced. BB are the cooling or
condensing chambers, which are surrounded by a water jacket or tank C for the
purpose of keeping the same cool. Suitable means are sometimes provided for
causing a constant circulation of the water in this jacket or tank. We prefer
building the said tank and chambers of brick and cement; other substances, however,
may be used if desired. c is a stack or chimney through which the flames and products
of combustion from the grate b are allowed to escape after passing under and over or
around the said chamber a.
d, d are the chambers for containing carbonaceous substances, and through which
the gases evolved in the chamber a are conducted into one set of the cooling or
condensing chambers B. Thero may be one or more sets of these condensing
chambers; we prefer to use two or more condensing chambers in each set and to
connect the said chambers by pipes such as that shown at B₁, so that the gases or
vapours will pass through the said pipes, while the solid particles will deposit in the
chambers.
D is the shaft or stack into which the uncondensed gases from the cooling or
condensing chambers are conducted through a flue or pipe D. This shaft or stack
may be of any suitable height, it is provided with perforated arches or trays f, upon
which the lime-stone or other purifying substance is to be placed, and through which
the said gases will pass.
h
A pipe g is provided for supplying water, which, in its descent, will combine with
and condense the ascending gases. Doorways are formed in the shaft or stack D to
permit the removal of the lime-stone or other substance, and the introduction of fresh
charges of the same. A settling tank E or other receptacle is provided near the
lower end of the said shaft or stack, to collect the solutions formed in, and discharged
from the stack. The condensing chambers B are furnished with suitable doors to
permit the withdrawal of the products of condensation; and the draught is regulated
by means of cocks or valves & on the flue-pipo D¹.
e is a pipe provided with two cocks e¹, e for conducting the gases or vapours into
the condensing chambers B either directly or after they have passed through the
chambers d, according to which of the said cocks e¹, e² is open.
In treating sulphurous ores, according to our invention, they are placed in the
chamber a of the muffle furnace A. The cock e' is opened and the cock e is kept
closed, so that the gases or vapours from the chamber a pass directly into one set of
the condensing chambers B, through which they pass to the stack D.
As much of
the sulphur as practicable is thus obtained from the ores by sublimation without the
admission of air into the muffle. The cock e' is then closed and the cock e' opened,
and air is admitted into the muffle. The ore will then give off a further quantity of
sulphur in combination with the oxygen of the air thus admitted. This oxygen, after
it has performed its work, is taken up by the carbon of the carbonaceous material in
the chamber d, whilst the sulphurous vapours freed from such oxygen pass through the
pipe into the other set of condensing chambers B. The two sets of condensing
chambers are thus utilized alternately, one set with, and the other set without the
chamber containing the carbonaceous material.
When the carbonaceous material is not required, none of this material is placed in
the chamber d, the two sets of condensing chambers can then be used alternately, if
desired, for simple sublimation or oxidation as the caso may be.

page_text: Our improved apparatus is applicable for the purification of sulphur or the like, and
also for the treatment of zinc and other metals by volatilization and condensation to
obtain oxides of such metals.
The employment of the stack D is an important feature of our invention, as without
it there would not be sufficient draught to move the volatilized substances through
the various chambers with the requisite velocity to ensure good results. Moreover, in
the said stack are condensed the lighter combinations of the volatile substances which
have passed through the condensing chambers and which, without the stack, would not
be utilized.
Although we prefer to use the above described apparatus, yet it is obvious that our
improved process may be carried on by means of other suitable apparatus.
Moreover the construction of our improved apparatus may be somewhat modified
without departing from the nature of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
First The improved process of extracting sulphur and other substances from ores,
consisting in vapourizing the said substances and passing the same through one or
more cooling or condensing chambers, and then through a shaft or stack provided
with one or more perforated trays or the like containing lime-stone or other suitable
materials, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second-The improved process of extracting sulphur and other substances from
ores, consisting in vapourizing the said substances and passing the same through a
chamber or chambers containing carbonaceous material, then through one or more
cooling or condensing chambers and then through a shaft or stack provided with one
or more perforated trays or the like containing lime-stone or other suitable materials,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third: The improved process of extracting sulphur and other substances from
ores, consisting in heating the said ores in a muftlo furnace without the admission of
air, passing the gases or vapours evolved therefrom through one or more cooling or
condensing chambers and then through a stack provided with one or more perforated
trays or the like containing lime-stone or other suitable materials, and subsequently
admitting air to the said muffle and causing the gases or vapours evolved to pass
through a chamber or chambers containing carbonaceous material, before they enter
the cooling or condensing chambers, all substantially as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Fourth-The combination, with a muffle-furnace, of a shaft or stack provided with
one or more perforated trays or the like, with or without one or more cooling or
condensing chambers, all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth The combination, with a muffle-furnace and one or more cooling or
condensing chambers, of a chamber or chambers connected therewith for containing
carbonaceous material, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Sixth-The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing for the purposes
specified.