IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF COPPER AND OTHER ORES, AND OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
IRVING HILL, of Clapham, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Ninth day of March
(One thousand eight hundred and fifty), in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
the said Thomas Irving Hill, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Irving
Hill, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Irving Hill, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF COPPER AND OTHER ORES, AND OBTAINING
PRODUCTS THEREFROM;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Thomas Irving Hill, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be

page_text: inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being had thereto, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Irving Hill, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The Invention relates, first, to the treatment of copper, so as to obtain
products therefrom, and secondly, my Invention relates to the treatment of
iron ores, whereby more beneficial products may be obtained.
I will first describe the improvements which relate to copper ores. And I
would remark, that this part of my Invention relates more particularly to the
treatment of what are called refractory ores. It is well known that in melt-
ing copper ores, fluxes are used to facilitate the process. Now one part of
my Invention consists, first, of the employment of a flux composed of galena
or sulphuret of lead when combined with baryta, carbonate or sulphate of
baryta, or in place of the baryta, carbonate or sulphate of strontia, but I
prefer to use the combination of the galena and baryta. The advantage of
the galena-is, that it increases the general fusibility of the mass, and improves
the quality of the copper. I am aware that it has before proposed to use
the sulphate or baryta combined with other matters; I do not, therefore,
claim the same when separately used. The proportions in which I prefer to
use this flux is about one-tenth of sulphuret of lead to nine-tenths of the
baryta, and this flux is to be introduced into the furnace according to the
ordinary method. The workman from his experience will be able to use
such quantities as the nature of the ores require, but in general I find that in
treating ores of an average of twelve per cent. of copper, that the flux should
be introduced in about one-eighth part of flux to seven-eighths of the ore.
The flux may be introduced into the ore when in the melting and roasting
furnaces.
Another part of my Invention consists of a mode of applying prepared
oxygen gas to the calcining, roasting, and melting furnaces so as to promote
the acidification of the volatile matters, and oxidation of the iron and other
extraneous metals that may be combined therein, and also for the use of such
gas to facilitate the combustion of the smoke arising from the burning of the
coal in the furnace, whereby the process of smelting will be carried on with
more advantage. And I would remark, that I do not claim the use of oxygen

page_text: gas generally for the treatment; the same having been before used. The mode
of obtaining the oxygen gas is as follows:-I construct retorts near to the
copper furnaces, into which I place black oxide of manganese, and submit
them to a high degree of temperature until the gas is given off, when it is
conducted through tubes into a receiver or gasometer having water therein,
similar to such as are used in gas making, and from this chamber the gas is to
be conducted through tubes into the furnaces, either through openings in the
sides of the furnaces or over the bridge, and here it will be caused to mix with
the products of the combustion of the coal, and ignite such products, and thus
increase the heat for the smelting purposes.
I will now describe my improvements which relate to the treatment of iron,
which consists, first, in the employment of carbonate of baryta as a-flux, which
is to be mixed with the iron ore before it is introduced into the furnace.
And, secondly, of the employment of the oxygen gas obtained as before
described, when combined with the products of the coals for the purpose of
igniting the same, so as to facilitate the process of smelting the ores. This
gas will be used, as before described, for the copper furnaces.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood, that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein given, so long as the peculiar
character of either part of my Invention be retained; but what I. claim
is,-
First, the employment of sulphuret of lead in combination with baryta or
carbonate or sulphate of baryta, or carbonate of or sulphate of strontia, as a flux
for the treatment of copper ores. And I also claim the application of oxygen
gas, prepared in separate retorts and conveyed into the furnaces, for the treat-
ment of copper ores, as herein described.
And, secondly, I claim the employment of carbonate of baryta as a flux
in the treatment of iron ores, and also the use of oxygen gas prepared in
separate retorts, and, when caused to combine with the products of the coal in
the furnaces, so as by igniting such products to facilitate the smelting of
iron.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Irving Hill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
THOMAS IRVING (L.S.) HILL.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Thomas Irving Hill came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.