IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR THE MORE RAPID SMELTING OF THE ORES OF PROVISIONAL SPATION COPPER AND OTHER METALS AND IN WORKING THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Walter Watson Hughes of 48 Porchester Terrace,
Bayswater in the County of Middlesex, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR THE MORE RAPID SMELTING OF THE ORES OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Walter Watson Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st April 1882.
Sir WALTER WATSON HUGHES of 48 Porchester Terrace Bayswater in the
County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR THE
MORE RAPID SMELTING OF THE ORES OF COPPER AND OTHER METALS AND IN WORKING
THE SAME."
This Invention has for its object improvements in reverberatory furnaces for the
more rapid smelting of the ores of copper and other metals and in working the
same.
I construct a reverberatory furnace about fifteen feet long and ten feet broad,
this. I call a "melting" furnace and I connect it by a downwardly inclining flue
with a second reverberatory furnace which I call a collecting furnace.
I make the fire bridge in the melting furnace to rise only a few inches above the
bottom of the furnace and the roof of the furnace is low; also I make the bottom
to drop or incline from the inside of the fire bridge six inches more or less towards
the entrance of the flue which is opposite to the bridge and joins or butts on to the
opening of what is the skimming door in reverberatory furnaces. I also make the
bottom slightly hollow between the sides of the furnace.
The flue serves both as an outlet for the products of combustion and also to lead
away the material as fast as it becomes melted, into the collecting furnace.
I make the flue to drop or incline one inch in a foot more or less towards the
collecting furnace into which the metal and slag runs through a hole in its wall as
they are melted in the reducing furnace.
I make a down draft flue close to the side of the collecting furnace. This flue
joins the side of the flue between the reducing and the collecting furnace through

page_text: which the metal slag gases and flame from the former are all coming at the same
time. The gas and flame entering the down draft flue is led to the culvert and
stack whilst the metal and slag run into the collecting furnace.
The collecting furnace has its separate fire place and connection by a descending
flue and culvert with the stack.
Before I put a charge of ore into the reducing furnace I get both furnaces up to
a white or smelting heat.
I then drop a charge of two tons more or less of dry ground ore into the
reducing furnace-fluxes are added at the same time.
I find in practice that in less than an hour the metal will begin to run into the
collecting furnace and in one hour more or less the reducing furnace is clear for
another charge.
I do not begin to skim the slag off from the collecting fornace until it has risen
to the level of the skimming plate when it is continued until the metal is level
with the skimming plate. then tap it off in the usual way.
The slag I find to be perfectly free from copper.
The collecting furnace I make as an ordinary reverberatory furnace.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sir Walter Watson Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th September 1882.
Sir WALTER WATSON HUGHES of 48 Porchester Terrace, Bayswater in the
County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR THE
MORE RAPID SMELTING OF THE ORES OF COPPER AND OTHER METALS AND IN WORKING
THE SAME
This Invention has for its object improvements in reverberatory furnaces for the
more rapid smelting of the ores of copper and other metals and in working the
same.
I construct a reverberatory furnace about fifteen feet long and ten feet broad,
(it may be larger or smaller) this I call a melting furnace and I connect it by a
downwardly inclining flue with a second reverberatory furnace which I call a
collecting furnace.
I make the fire bridge in the melting furnace to rise only a few inches above the
bottom of the furnace and the roof of the furnace is low; also I make the bottom
to drop or incline from the inside of the fire bridge one inch in a foot more or less
towards the entrance of the flue which is opposite to the bridge and joins or butts
on to the opening of what is the skimming door in reverberatory furnaces. I also
make the bottom slightly hollow between the sides of the furnace.
The flue serves both as an outlet for the products of combustion and also to lead
away the material as fast as it becomes melted, into the collecting furnace.
I make the flue to drop or incline one inch in a foot more or less towards the
collecting furnace into which the metal and slag run as they are melted in the
reducing furnace.
The collecting furnace has its separate fire place and is connected with the
stack.
Before I put a charge of ore into the reducing furnace I get both furnaces up to
a white or smelting heat.
I then drop a charge of two tons more or less of dry ground ore into the
reducing furnace, fluxes are added at the same time.
I find in practice that in less than an hour the metal and slag will run into the
collecting furnace and the reducing furnace is clear for another charge.
The slag is either run off or drawn off from the collecting furnace when it has
risen to the level of the skimming plate. When the metal is level with the
skimming plate I tap it off in the usual way.
The slag I find to be perfectly free from copper.
The collecting furnace I make as an ordinary reverberatory furnace of any shape
or size.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an horizontal section and Figure 2 is a vertical section of the furnaces
together with their connecting fluc.
Figure 3 is is a vertical section to a larger scale of a portion of the flue, shewing
certain basins or pockets which are formed therein, Figure 4 is a sectional plan of
a portion of the flue.
A is the melting or reducing furnace; it has a nearly flat but inclined bed and
low roof so that the material as it melts may at once flow to the outlet. This

page_text: outlet is through the flue B, which also is inclined and the melted metal and slag
together with the products of combustion pass through the flue into the collecting
furnace C. Or in place of allowing the products of combustion from the melting
or reducing furnace to enter the collecting furnace, they may be allowed to pass
out of the flue B by a side opening B' as is shewn in Figure 1a and be led by an
under-ground flue passage to the stack. This is a reverberatory furnace with a
deep bed and a side tire C¹, which aids in maintaining the requisite high
temperature. The ore and flux melted in the furnace A, flow down the flue B and
the metal and slag accumulate in the collecting furnace C, whilst the products of
combustion pass onwards into the downwardly inclining flue D; this flue is in
connection with a stack by which a brisk draft is maintained. The slag when
it rises sufficiently high flows into the flue D, until it reaches an opening D', in the
roof of the tunnel E', trucks to receive the slag stand in this tunnel E¹. As the
trucks are filled by the slag falling into them from the opening D₁ they are removed
and replaced by others. When the bed of the collecting furnace is full of metal
this is tapped out at the sides and the furnace is emptied.
The metal and slag flowing down the flue B drop into basins or pockets B², B²,
as they fall into these they are met by blasts of air issuing from slits or openings
in hollow bricks B³, B³, at the entrance end of each basin or pocket. The metal
remains for a time in the basin or pocket whilst the blast of air blowing into it
rapidly oxidises the sulphur which it contains.
Any desired number of these basins or pockets may be arranged in the length of
the flue B; two are shewn in the Drawing.
Any suitable forcing apparatus may be employed to supply air to the openings
in the bricks B³, connections for the purpose are made at the sides of the flue
at B*.B*.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim :-
First. The combination of the melting or reducing furnace with its nearly flat
and inclined bed; the downwardly inclining flue B, conveying the materials as they
melt and also the products of combustion; and the collecting furnace C, receiving
the same and retaining the metal in its deep bed, substantially as described.
Second. The method of smelting ores of copper and other metals and the
combination of furnaces, and parts therefor substantially as described and illustrated
by the Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Sir, Walter Watson Hughes have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twentieth day of September in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.