IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING HEATED GASES, FUMES, OR VAPOURS FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM SOLID OR LIQUID BODIES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edmond and Adolf Gurlt, both of Swansea,
in the County of Glamorgan, Metallurgical Engineers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING HEATED
GASES, FUMES, OR VAPOURS FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM SOLID OR LIQUID
BODIES."
Sealed the 19th October 1866, and dated the 26th April 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edmond and
Adolf Gurlt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 26th April 1866.
We, WILLIAM EDMOND and ADOLF GURLT, both of Swansea, in the County
of Glamorgan, Métallurgical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
HEATED GASES, FUMES, OR VAPOURS FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM SOLID OR LIQUID
BODIES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention has for its object the separation of heated gases, fumes, er"
vapours which are evolved in certain metallurgical and chemical operations,.
such as in the calcination of sulphurous and arseniferous ores and regulus,
roasting of copper regulus, distilling of mercury, zinc, and cadmium, refining
of silver, production of sulphate of soda, and other operations in which gases

page_text: are evolved. This separation is effected at an elevated temperature through
the difference of the specific gravity of such gases, fumes, or vapours; as, for
instance, those of sulphurous and sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, chlorine gas,
arseneous acid, mercury, zinc, and cadmium, oxides of lead and zinc, chlorides
of copper, iron, and other metals. The object of the separation is to free
these gases, fumes, or vapours, more or less, from other gaseous substances
of less specific gravity, such as the products of combustion of coal, coke, or
other fuel, and so obtain the heavier gases, fumes, or vapours in a more
concentrated and purified state.
The improvements consist in constructing openings or apertures of any
convenient size and shape, whether round, oval, square, oblong, or otherwise,
in the lower parts of the inner sides or in the bottom of the furnaces, vessels,
or apparatus in which the gas fumes or vapours are to be produced from solid
or liquid bodies, thus allowing them to follow their natural tendency of passing
downwards through the openings or apertures, while the lighter gases, fumes,
or vapours may rise upwards and may escape through openings or apertures
in the upper part of the sides or in the top of the furnaces, vessels, or appa-
ratus employed, both or either of the currents of gases, fumes, or vapours
being assisted by natural or mechanical draught, and proper exit flues being
provided from the several openings...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edmond and Adolf Gurlt in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
EDMOND and ADOLF GURLT, both of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan,
Metallurgical Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April,, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Edmond and Adolf Gurlt, Her special licence that
we, the said William Edmond and Adolf Gurlt, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such, others as.. we, the said William Edmond and
Adolf Gurlt, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,.

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING HEATED GASES, FUMES, OR
VAPOURS FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM SOLID OR LIQUID BODIES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Edmond and Adolf
Gurlt, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause. the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next:
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edmond, on behalf of myself,
and the said Adolf Gurlt, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,:
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Our Invention has for its object the separation of heated gases, fumes, or.
vapours which are evolved in certain metallurgical and chemical operations,
such as in the calcination of sulphurous and arseniferous ores and regulus,
roasting of copper regulas, distilling of mercury, zinc, and cadmium, refining
of silver, production of sulphate of soda, and other operations in which gases;
are evolved. This separation is effected at an elevated temperature through
the difference of the specific gravity of such gases, fumes, or vapours; as,
for instance, those of sulphurous and sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, chlorine
gas, arsenious acid, mercury, zinc, and cadmium, oxides of lead and zinc,
chlorides of copper, iron, and other metals. The object of the separation is to
free these gases, fumes, or vapours, more or less, from other gaseous substances
of less specific gravity, such as the products of combustion of coal, coke, or,
other fuel, and so obtain the heavier gases, fumes, or vapours in a more
concentrated and purified state.
The improvements consist in constructing the furnaces, vessels, or appa-
ratus in which the gases, fumes, or vapours are to be produced from solid or
liquid bodies, with openings or apertures of any convenient size and shape,
whether round, oval, square, oblong, or otherwise, in the lower parts of the
inner sides thereof, or in the bottom thereof, thus allowing the heavier gases,
fumes, or vapours to follow their natural tendency of passing downwards
through the openings or apertures, while the lighter gases, fumes, or vapours
may rise upwards and may escape through openings or apertures in the upper.
part of the sides or in the top of the furnaces, vessels, or apparatus employed,
both or either of the currents of gases, fumes, or vapours being assisted by

page_text: natural or mechanical draught, and proper exit flues being provided from the'
several openings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which it is to be and
may be performed, observing that we do not limit ourselves to the precise
details described and represented by the accompanying Drawing in exempli-
fication of some of the more prominent uses of our said Invention, the which
details are illustrative only, and may be varied according to circumstances.
The Drawing exhibits several descriptions of furnaces constructed in
accordance with the Invention.
Figure 1 is a calcining furnace for copper, lead, zinc, or other ores which
contain sulphur. A is the fire-place; B, the furnace; C, the chimney or
stack. The bed of the furnace upon which the ore rests is arranged in steps,"
which as well as the side walls are provided with longitudinal openings m';
these by the canals n lead downwards to the flue o, into which all heavy
fumes or vapours descend, the flame and gases produced in the fire-place A
proceeding below the roof of the furnace direct through the chimney C into
the open air.
Figure 2 is another calciner for similar ores. A, B, and C are respectively
the fire-place, furnace, and chimney, as before. In this calciner the bed upon
which the ore rests is level, but separated into several divisions by muffle-shaped
hollow tubes p of clay, cast iron, or other suitable material, between which
the ore to be calcined is placed. These muffle-shaped tubes or canals p are
provided on their sides with oblong, square, round, oval, or otherwise shaped
openings p, and are arranged to cover certain openings q left in the bottom
or bed of the furnace which lead to one or several canals s below the furnace,
and thus allow the heavier gases, fumes, or vapours evolved during the
process of calcination by descending through these various openings to separate
from the coal smoke.
Figure 3 is a silver refining furnace with moveable bearth or bottom u
resting on an iron carriage u*. A is the fire-place, and C the chimney or
stack. The side walls of the stationary part B of the furnace and the flue and
fire-bridges are provided with openings m communicating with canals n in or
outside the masonry of the furnace, and connected with a general flue o
During the process of refining silver the heavy lead fumes enter these
openings m and pass into the flue o, whence they are led to any convenient
condensing or collecting apparatus, and the gases produced by the fire go
straight through the furnace over the flue bridge in the chimney.
}
Figure 4 is a reverberatory lead smelting furnace. A, B, and C are the

page_text: fire-place, furnace, and chimney, as before; and the arrangement of the
furnace generally is similar to Figure 3. The separating holes m are made
in the side walls, and allow the lead fumes to descend through them into the
main flue o.
Figure 5 is a sulphate furnace for the production of sulphate of soda from
common salt and sulphuric acid, in which process vapours of muriatic acid are
evolved. A is the fire-place; B, the furnace or roaster; and C, the chimney;
vis the decomposing pan heated by a separate fire-place E. In this furnace
the side walls of the roaster and above the decomposing pan are provided,
similarly to Figures 3 and 4, with the openings m, which are in communi-
cation with the main flue o, and allow the muriatic gases and vapours to enter
the condensing towers free from the products of combustion which escape
through the chimney. w, w, are flues for the muriatic acid vapours; x, x,
flues for the flame and gases from the fire-place; y is a damper door at
end of furnace B next the decomposing pan v; and z is flue by side of same.
In conclusion, I have judged that the above several examples sufficiently
describe the manner of constructing our improved furnaces and apparatus
with the openings and flues for carrying off at an elevated temperature or
separating heavy gases, fumes, or vapours from the products of combustion
or lighter gases, fumes, or vapours, not only for the special purposes
mentioned, but generally for all and any other metallurgical or chemical
processes to which our Invention may be applicable; but I would wish it to
be noted that in all cases a sufficiently strong natural or artificial draught
should be provided for the current of the heavier gases, fumes, or vapours.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edmond, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Wч. EDMOND. (L.B.)