An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production of Sodium, Potassium, and sike Metals by Electrolysis.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 7th June, 1893
An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production of Sodium,
Potassium, and ſike Metals by Electrolysis.
1, HENRY CLAY BULL, of 7, Waterloo Road, New Brighton, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The chief object of this invention is to make the sodium, potassium, and other
like metals at a cheaper rate than they have heretofore been made.
In describing this invention, the word "chlorides" will be taken to mean the
chlorides of sodium, potassium, and like metals.
According to this invention, the chloride under treatment is melted in a furnace
(preferably one of the regenerative type fired with gas) it being contained in a
suitable vessel say of cast iron-or in a number of these vessels suitably arranged
in the furnace. When the vessel or vessels is or are charged with the chloride and
melted by the heat of the furnace, it is ready for the electric action.
The vessel for reducing the chloride is covered and is separated or divided into
two parts or chambers by means of a sleeve within which is placed a porcelain
lining. This sleeve descends some distance into the melted chloride and keeps the
metal and chlorine produced by the electric action from combining after they have
been so produced.
Within one of the said chambers bars of iron-suitably held in position—are
placed, and from which they can be removed at will, while within the other chamber,
bars of carbon are placed, the carbon and iron bars being separated from each
other by suitable insulating material, and insulated from the vessel and cover.
One or more of the vessels in which the decomposition of the chloride is effected,
are subjected to an electric current such current being passed in series through the
decomposing cells and the separation of the chlorine of the chloride from the metal
is thus effected. The chlorine in this case goes to the carbon pole and the metal to
the iron pole. The metal will be led by a suitable pipe to a condensing chamber
where it will be condensed under an atmosphere of hydrogen while the chlorine
may be led away by suitable pipes and used for making bleaching powder or other-
wise as desired.
I prefer arranging these vessels in a Siemen's open hearth regenerative gas-
fired furnace, the effect of this is to reduce the cost of melting and maintaining the
chloride in a molten state to a minimum.
The metals separated by this process remain liquid to a very much lower
temperature than the chloride from which they are derived and therefore they can
be readily separated in the condensing chamber from any of the chloride that may
have been volatilized by the heat of the furnace.
A suitable arrangement will be made to control the heat. of the furnace, by
bringing a solenoid electrically placed in shunt with the decomposing cells, whereby
any increase in resistance will cause a valve controlling the gas supply to the
furnace to be opened, and any decrease causes said valve to be closed. The
increase and decrease will take place above the normal point which will have to be
determined by experiment.
It is to be understood that the invention is not confined at all to the particular
constructions and combinations of parts herein more particularly specified, as these
may vary indifferently without departing from the spirit or scope thereof; also it

page_text: is to be stated that the uses to which this invention, in whole or in part, may be
put, may be other than those more particularly specified.
Dated this Fourth day of June 1892.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Production of Sodium,
Potassium, and like Metals by Electrolysis.
1, HENRY CLAY BULL, formerly of 7, Waterloo Road, New Brighton, in the
County of Chester, Engineer, but at present residing at No. 29, St. George's Road,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My said invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for the production
of sodium, potassium and like metals by electrolysis, and the primary object
thereof is to obtain the said sodium, potassium and other like metals, such as,
calcium, magnesium, barium and chromium, from their chlorides in a less expensive
manner than heretofore.
Throughout this Specification the word "chloride"
or "chlorides" is, for
convenience, employed to designate the chlorides of the metals above referred to.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus constructed according
to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a plan showing the electrical connections separately.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 representing a portion of such apparatus
separately drawn to an enlarged scale, and,
Figure 4 is a plan thereof.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a represents a regenerative gas furnace of the Siemen's type, which is the form
most suitable for the purpose of the present invention, and represents a vessel,
constructed for example of cast iron, à group, for convenience, of such vessels being
mounted in the furnace a, and within these vessels is placed the chloride to be
treated and when the chloride is melted by the heat of the furnace it is submitted
to the action of electricity in the manner hereinafter described.
Each vessel b, which is fitted with an outer cover b', is separated or divided into
two parts or chambers c c¹ by means of a descending metal sleeve or cylinder d and
within the cylinder or sleeve d is arranged a non-conducting cylindrical porcelain
lining d.
L
The metal sleeve or cylinder d is so proportioned that it descends some distance
into the body of the melted chloride cx and separates and keeps from combining
the metal and chlorine produced by the electric action, as hereinafter described.
Within the chamber c are suspended, by means of tubular holders e adapted to
be readily placed in position and removed, several bars of iron e', which constitute
the metal electrodes, whilst within the chamber c', and similarly secured in a
holder fare bars of carbon f' which constitute the carbon electrodes. The iron
and carbon electrodes and being separated from each other by the insulating
porcelain lining d', whilst their holders e and fare suitably insulated from the
cover b¹.
The holden L'in nomided with a contual food tube fxx which at its lower end.

page_text: is immersed in the molten chloride c* whilst it is closed at the top by means
of a cover fx provided with a central aperture corresponding with the feed
tube fxx.
○ The iron electrodes e are by wires e electrically connected with ring con-
ductors e supported upon and insulated from posts g, whilst the carbon electrodes f!
are through posts f electrically connected with ring conductors f³ and the ring
conductors e, of adjacent vessels are coupled by bridge contacts e* in series, the
terminals of the corresponding electrodes being conrected by conductors e³ ƒ³
with a battery h.
By this arrangement of parts, the electric current caused to pass in series
through the cells thereby effecting the decomposition of the chloride and the
separation of the chlorine from the metal, the chlorine passing to the carbon
electrode f' and the metal to the iron electrode e¹.
The vaporized metal passes away by an opening * in the ring cover b¹ whence
it is led by a pipe or conduit (not shown) to a suitable condensing chamber where
it is condensed under an atmosphere of hydrogen in order to avoid oxidation, whilst
the chlorine passes away by a conduit f in the holder ƒ and pipe (not shown) to
any desired destination and may be employed in the manufacture of bleaching
powder or otherwise, as desired.
By the employment of an open hearth regenerative gas furnace of the Siemen's
type, I am enabled to reduce the chloride to a molten condition and so maintain it
with the least possible expenditure.
The metals separated by the process hereinbefore described remain fluid at a
much lower temperature than the chloride from which they are derived and can
therefore be readily separated in the condensing chamber from any of the chloride
that may have been volatized by the heat of the furnace.
In order to automatically control (regulate) the heat of the furnace a, a solenoid
is employed which is electrically placed in shunt with the electrodes e¹ of each
vessel a and is connected with a valve controlling the supply of gas to the furnace a
in such manner that any increase in resistance will cause the valve to be more
or less opened and any decrease of resistance will cause the valve to be more or
less closed, the standard or normal point above or below which the regulating
device is required to come into action having been previously determined by experi-
ment, but as this class of regulating device is well known and forms no part of my
present invention I have thought it unnecessary to give a detailed description thereof.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein shown and described, as it will be evident that the same may be considerably
varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
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. The process of collecting vaporized metals such as sodium and potassium
by condensation under an atmosphere of hydrogen, substantially as herein
described.
2. The process of decomposing chlorides by electrolysis aided by heat and
separately collecting the metal and the chlorine vapour and subsequently condensing
such vapours, substantially as herein described.
3. The process of decomposing chlorides by electrolysis aided by heat and
separating the vaporized metal from the chlorine by means of electricity and
subsequently recovering the metal and chlorine by condensation the former under
an atmosphere of hydrogen, substantially as herein described and for the purpose
stated.
4. In apparatus for producing potassium, sodium and the like from chlorides, the
combination of a covered melting vessel, to contain the chloride, an insulated
dividing wall separating the melting vessel into two chambers and descending into
the molten chloride, an iron electrode in one chamber, a carbon electrode in the

page_text: other chamber, a source of, electricity, means of heating the melting vessel and
suitable outlets from the two chambers for the resulting vapours of metal and
chlorine, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose, stated.
5. In an apparatus for producing potassium sodium and the like from chlorides,
the combination of a group of covered melting vessels to contain the chlorides, each
vessel being provided with an insulated dividing wall separating the melting vessel
into two chambers and descending into the molten chloride, an iron electrode in one
chamber, a carbon electrode in the other chamber, a source of electricity suitable
connections to couple all the electrodes of the chambers in series, means of heating
the melting vessel and suitable outlets from the two chambers for the resulting
vapours of metal and chlorine, substantially as herein shown and described, and for
the purpose stated.
6. In an apparatus for producing potassium, sodium and the like from chlorides,
the combination of a covered melting vessel to contain the chlorides, an insulated
dividing wall separating the melting vessel into two chambers and descending into
the molten chloride, an iron electrode suspended in one chamber, a carbon electrode
suspended in the other chamber, a source of electricity, means of heating the melting
vessel, suitable outlets for the resulting vapours of metal and chlorine, condensing
chambers and pipes or conduits for conveying the vapours from the outlets to the
condensing chambers, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
Dated this 7th day of March 1893
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.