Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys and Compounds, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification. Left, 26th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys and
Compounds, and in Apparatus therefor.
'I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of The Yews, Belvedere, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the combination of a metal or metallic alloy with a volatile
metal or substance and by means of it I can effect the combination of phosphorus with
copper, tin or other metals in a perfectly safe manner and practically without loss of
phosphorus I proceed as follows:-
I enclose the phosphorus or other volatile material in a retort with a detachable lid
which can be screwed down so as to hermetically seal the retort from the outside air.
Preferably I use the cast iron retorts employed for the distillation of mercury, I
provide the retort with an ordinary spring safety valve with tube attached for con-
ducting away and condensing escaping vapours. I surround the retort with a
perforated basin full of glowing coals or other source of heat which will keep up a
steady red heat for instance a gas furnace; to avoid a slight loss of phosphorus when
beginning I fill the retort and tube for the conduction of the vapours at the start with
carbonic acid gas.
The phosphorus vapours evolved in the retort pass through an iron tube (suitably
insulated to avoid condensation) which at the other end has a bend and a vertical end
piece made of carbon, fireclay or other refractory material which will withstand the
action of molten metals for a prolonged period; this end pipe dips into a crucible
which contains the metal or metals in a molten state; the molten metals absorb the
phosphorus with avidity and as soon as a suitable percentage of phosphorus is
combined, the vapours are shut off for a short time by a valve on the conducting tube
and the end piece introduced into another crucible with molten metal thus making the
process practically continuous.
The phosphorized metals are used in the manufacture of brass, bronze and other
metallic alloys and compounds.
To check the exact weight of phosphorus or other material vaporized I balance the
weight of the retort and tube &c. at the start, preventing them in a suitable manner
from rising more than a fraction of an inch when the counterweight proved the
heavier. By ascertaining from time to time how much must be removed from the
counterweight to make the retort descend I obtain the exact weight of the material
which has been vaporized. When however a saturated alloy of phosphorus is desired
this is unnecessary for immediately the alloy is saturated the phosphorus will burn on
the top of the metal which is at once detected.
To protect the molten metal I cover the surface by usual means; glass, coke
powder, &c.
Dated this 26th day of November, 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Alloys and
Compounds, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of The Yews, Belvedere, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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:-
1
This invention relates to the combination of a metal or metallic alloy with a volatile
metal or substance and by means of it I can effect the combination of phosphorus with

page_text: copper, tin or other metals in a perfectly safe manner and practically without loss of
phosphorus I proceed as follows:-
I enclose the phosphorus or other volatile material in a retort with a detachable lid
which can be screwed down so as to hermetically seal the retort from the outside air.
Preferably I use the cast iron retorts employed for the distillation of mercury, I
provide the retort with an ordinary spring safety valve with tube attached for con-
ducting away and condensing escaping vapours. I surround the retort with a
perforated basin full of glowing coals or other source of heat which will keep up a
steady red heat for instance a gas furnace; to avoid a slight loss of phosphorus when
beginning I fill the retort and tube for the conduction of the vapours at the start with
carbonic acid gas.
The phosphorus or other vapors evolved in the retort pass through an iron tube
(suitably insulated to avoid condensation) which at the other end has a bend and a
vertical end piece made of carbon, fireclay or other refractory material which will
withstand the action of molten metals for a prolonged period; this end pipe dips into
a crucible which contains the metal or metals in a molten state. When employing
phosphorus it will be found that the molten metals absorb the phosphorus with avidity
and as soon as a suitable percentage of phosphorus is combined, the vapors are shut off
for a short time by a valve on the conducting tube and the end piece introduced into
another crucible with molten metal thus making the process practically continuous.
The phosphorized metals are used in the manufacture of brass, bronze and other
metallic alloys and compounds.
Other volatile materials (as sodium, potassium, mercury) may be treated in the
same way as phosphorus.
To check the exact weight of phosphorus or other material vaporized I balance the
weight of the retort and tube &c. at the start, preventing them in a suitable manner
from rising more than a fraction of an inch when the counterweight proved the
heavier. By ascertaining from time to time how much must be removed from the
counterweight to make the retort descend I obtain the exact weight of the material
which has been vaporized. When however a saturated alloy of phosphorus is desired
this is unnecessary for immediately the alloy is saturated the phosphorus will burn on
the top of the metal which is at once detected.
To protect the molten metal I cover the surface by usual means; glass, coke,
powder, &c.
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. Combining phosphorus with copper tin or other metal by passing the vapour of
phosphorus into a bath of the molten metal substantially as described.
2. The means of and apparatus for the manufacture of metallic or metal like alloys
and compounds as herein set forth.
Dated this 24th day of September, 1890.
JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL.