A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING SULPHIDES AND OXIDES Of METALS AND OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I Sir FRANCIS CHARLES KNOWLES of Lovell Hill, Baronet, of Mayfield, Ryde
Isle of Wight do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING SULPHIDES AND OXIDES Of METALS AND
OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM to be as follows:-
"3
The object of my invention is a new or improved method of treating Sulphides
and Oxides of metals and obtaining products therefrom.
For the purpose of my invention I treat sulphides or oxides of iron whether a
residuum or native and almost free from earthy matter as specular ore, magnetic
ore etc and place them in a closed retort submitted to a full red heat and I pass
over and through the mass a current of coal gas, peat gas or petroleum vapour,
whereby the iron oxide is rapidly reduced to a metallic or if the process be pro-
longed enough to a carburet." treat ores of manganese, whether or not containing
iron in a similar manner until I obtain a carburet.
This done I place the reduced ores in a Bessemer converter into which a small
charge of molten spiegeleisen has been thrown and I blow in the Bessemer mode a
neutral mixture of air and carbonic oxide gas (any how obtained) such as to give a
neutral flame of intense heat.
This I continue until the whole of the metal is in a state of complete fusion. If.
I wish to burn off the carbon and to obtain a mild form of steel, I use a slight
excess of air in the blast.
By the use of appropriate reagents and a nonsiliceous lining, phosphorus if
present may thus be eliminated. The metal when in the required state may be cast
either in the Bessemer method or in any form of improvement of it.
Ores or other metals (cobalt, bismuth nickel) may be similarly treated.

page_text: I Sir FRANCIS CHARLES KNOWLES of Lovell Hill, Baronet, of Mayfield, Ryde
Isle of Wight, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for A NEW
OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING SULPHIDES AND OXIDES OF METALS AND
OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of my invention is a new or improved method of treating Sulphides
and Oxides of metals and obtaining products therefrom.
For the purpose of my invention I treat sulphides or oxides of iron whether a
residuum or native and almost free from earthy matter as specular ore, magnetic
ore etc and place them in a closed retort submitted to a full red heat, and I pass
over and through the mass a current of coal gas, peat gas, or petroleum vapour,
whereby the iron oxide is rapidly reduced to a metallic, or, if the process be pro-
longed enough a carburet. I treat ores of manganese, whether or not containing
iron in a similar manner until I obtain a carburet.
This done I place the reduced ores, preferably, in a pulverized state and gradually,
in a Bessemer convertor into which a small charge of molten spiegeleisen has been
first thrown and I blow in the Bessemer mode a neutral mixture of air and carbonic
oxide gas (anyhow obtained) such as to give a neutral flame of intense heat. This
I continue until the whole of the metal is in a state of complete fusion.
If I wish to turn off the carbon and to obtain a mild form of steel I use a slight
excess of air in the blast. By the use of appropriate re-agents such as pure iron ore
free from sulphur and phosphorous etc well pulverized and added by degrees and a
non-siliceous lining, phosphorus if present may thus be eliminated. The metal
when in the required state may be cast either in the Bessemer method or in any
form of improvement of it, ores of other metals (cobalt, bismuth, nickel) may be
similarly treated.
In the case of very rich iron ore or manganese, if free from phosphorus after the
gaseous reduction as above I use an ordinary cupola or melting furnace. I prefer
in the use of coal gas as a reducing agent gas freed from sulphur by any of the
known or improved methods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The new or improved method of treating Sulphides and Oxides of metals and
obtaining products therefrom as hereinbefore described.