Improvements in and relating to the Production of Cyanides and Ammonia.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of Cyanides and
Ammonia.
We,
WILLIAM MODONNELL MACKEY, Chemist, of 32 Victoria Chambers,
South Parade, Leeds, Yorkshire, and JOHN FREELAND HUTCHESON, Manu-
facturer, of 22 St. Enoch Square, in the City and County of Glasgow, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:
This invention has for its object the production of cyanides or ammonia.
According to one arrangement of our improvements we use a close vertical
furnace formed with two vertical chambers one at the contre and one at the side, or
the latter may be an annular chamber surrounding the former or be carried to a
higher level.
In the side or outer chamber coke or other carbonaceous material
would be placed, and in the centre or inner converting chamber baric carbonate or
other suitable baryta compound and coke would be fed and these two chambers
would meet in a lower common chamber preferably having a conoidal guide on its
lower sole. One or more air blasts preferably heated would be admitted to these
chambers, and the combustible gas generated would pass from the converting
chamber through orifices into an annular gas flue surrounding it where air may be
admitted for combustion and the waste gases from thence pass to chimuey so that
same may be heated both from without and within. A lower cooling chamber
would extend vertically down from the meeting chamber of the two upper chambers
and in line with the converting chamber and the baric cyanide would be recovered
at the lower end of this chamber. Or alternatively steam may be injected at the
lower part of this chamber to decompose the baric cyanide into ammonia gas which
would be led away through a branch placed at a suitable level on this chamber and
be condensed and recovered in an ordinary manner.
and
Potassic or sodic carbonate may be used along with the baric carbonate,
volatilisation will take place, and these salts be carried down the converting
chamber in admixture with the coke, to produce a fusible mixture and these alkaline
Salts would also preferably be added to the carbonaceous matter in the side or outer
primary chamber to make up for loss.
By a modified arrangement potassic cyanide would be produced by feeding
potassic carbonate, preferably with a percentage of baryta, or other suitable
substance that would facilitate the formation of cyanide, and coke or other
carbonaceous material into the converting chamber of furnace and coke into the
side or primary chamber and blasts of air preferably, heated would be injected into
the latter chamber or the lower meeting chamber of both and if desired into the
converting chamber also, and the primary and converting chambers may be formed
within one shell by having a partition wall extending from top down to lower
meeting chamber. The converting chamber would be surrounded by an annular
jacket or gas flue so as to be heated by combustible gas as well as by the fuel
within. The volatile gases would pass through a branch from this potassic
carbonate chamber into a secondary, chamber, where the cyanide may be condensed.

page_text: and recovered in a dry state; or the cyanide or cyanate may be decomposed by
steam in this secondary chamber and thim be recovered as ammonia.
Basic linings would preferably be used in these chambers.
Dated the 2nd! October 1894.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of Cyanides and
Ammonia.
We; WILLIAM MCDONNELL MACKEY, Chemist, of 32 Victoria Chambers,
South Parade, Leeds, Yorkshire, and JOHN FREELAND HUTCHESON, Manu-
facturer, of 22 St. Enoch Square, in the City and County of Glasgow, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention aud in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described' and' ascertained in and by the following
statement':
This invention has for its object the production of cyanides or ammonia.
According to one arrangement of our invention we use a close vertical furnace
formed with two vertical chambers A and B. In the chamber A coke or other
carbonaceous material is placed, and in the chamber B baric carbonate or other
Buitable: baryta compound and coke or other carbonaceous material, are placed.
The two chambers ineet in a lower coinmon chamber C preferably having a
conoidal guide. Don its sole: By tuyeres E air blasts preferably hoated are
admitted to the chamber A and the combustible gasos generated from both
chambers pass from the chamber B' into an annular gas flue surrounding it, where
air may be admitted for combustion, and the waste gases passithence to a chimney,
the upper part of B being thus heated both from. without and within.
A lower cooling chamber G extends vertically down from the chamber B; baric
cyanide being recovered at the bottom of this chamber G. Or alternatively steam
may be injected at the lower part of the chamber G to decompose the baric
cyanide, producing ammonia gas which is led away through a branch H placed at a
Buitable level on the chamber G to be condensed and recovered' in any known
ordinary manner!
Potassic or sodic carbonate may be used along with the baric carbonate, to
produce a fusible mixture, and these alkaline salts are also preferably added to the
carbonaceous matter in the chamber A.
Potassic cyanide may be produced by feeding potassic carbonate, preferably with
a small percentage of baryta, or other alkaline earth, and coke or other carbouaceous
material into the chamber B, and coke or other fuel into the chamber A into
which blasts of air, preferably heated, are injected, and into-the chaniber Balso.
The chamber B might be surrounded to a greater extent by an annular jacket.or
gas Hue such as F'so as to be heated by combustible gas externally as well as by
the fuel within.
The volatile gases on their way to the chimney may be conducted by a pipe into
a secondary chamber, where the cyanide may be condensed and recovered in a dry
state; or the cyanide or cyanate may be decomposed by steam in, this secondary
chamber producing ammonia.
Basic linings are preferably used in these chambers.
Having now particularly described, and, ascertained, the mature of this inxeu-
tion and in what manner the same; is. to..be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The berein described process for producing cyanides by subjecting a mixture

page_text: of carbonaceous matter with alkaline compounds to heat in a suitable blast
furnace.
2. The herein described process for producing ammonia by subjecting products
of the above process to the action of steam.
3. For operating as above set forth, apparatus constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.