AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING IRON AND OTHER ORES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL AND FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM ORES CONTAINING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING IRON AND
OTHER ORES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL AND FOR
THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM ORES CONTAINING THE SAME."
A communication from abroad by Thursten Gordon Hall and George Henry
Van Vleck, both of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
SMELTING IRON AND OTHER ORES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
STEEL AND FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM ORES CONTAINING
THE SAME." [A communication from abroad by Thursten Gordon Hall and George
Henry Van Vleck, both of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates more especially to the smelting of iron ore, and has for its
object to improve the quality of the metal which is produced, and to recover the
precious metal carried off by the gases which escape from the furnace.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I employ a blast-furnace of any
ordinary and well known construction and a furnace in which coal or some other
fuel is burned, with a free adinission of air, the furnace being provided with a
chimney. There is also a centrifugal fan or other suitable blowing apparatus,
having its eye or inlet opening connected by a pipe with the said chimney or gas-
exit passage, so as to draw the gas which escapes from the furnace into the chimney
or exit passage to the fan. The latter forces the gas through a discharge pipe into
an annular gas chamber which surrounds the blast furnace above the hearth, and
which is provided with downwardly inclining pipes leading to gas tuyeres. I also
provide a centrifugal fan or other suitable air blowing apparatus, having its
discharge pipe connected with an annular chamber which surrounds the blast
furnace near the annular gas chamber. This annular air chamber is provided with

page_text: downwardly extending pipes, which connect with air-tuyeres; each gas-tuyere is
arranged between two air-tuyeres, and these tuyeres are arranged in two or more
rows or tiers one above the other. The upper row is formed by the upper gas
tuyeres receiving the gas through some of the inclined pipes and the upper air
tuyeres receiving the air through the other inclined pipes. The lower row is
formed by the lower gas tuyeres receiving the gas through some of the pipes, and
the lower air tuyeres receiving the air through the other pipes. The pipes through
which the gas is conducted to the lower tuyeres are each provided with a stop cock
or sliding valve, whereby the flow of gas to the said tuyeres can be regulated or
entirely stopped at the desire of the operator. There is a steam pipe surrounding
the furnace and provided with depending branch pipes which open into the lower
gas tuyeres, and are provided with suitable stop cocks, whereby steam can be
mingled with the gas which is injected into the furnace through the lower gas
tuyere at the desire of the operator. The tuyeres are provided in the outer ends
with panes of mica, through which the interior of the furnace can be observed while
in operation.
A surface cooler is arranged in the gas conduit between the gas exit passage or
chimney and the first named blowing apparatus; this cooler is composed of a
closed vertical tank provided with vertical pipes which are fitted with their ends in
two horizontal plates, forming an upper and lower chamber in the tank.
The gas
from the exit passage or chimney of the furnace enters the upper chamber of the
cooler, passes thence through the pipes into the lower chamber, and thence to the
said blowing apparatus. There is a water supply pipe through which cold water
is admitted to the lower part of the space around the pipes in the cooler, and
between the heads a waste pipe is provided, through which the hot water is per-
mitted to escape from the top of the water space. This hot water may be used for
feeding the boiler or for any other purpose. The temperature of the hot gas which
is drawn into the first named blowing apparatus is lowered by the cooler so as to
prevent any injurious effects of the same upon the blowing apparatus. I provide
an equalizing vessel arranged in the discharge pipe of the gas blowing apparatus
made of sufficient size to retain a large volume of gas, whereby a steady flow of gas
to the gas tuyeres at a uniform pressure is insured.
I also provide a hinged sliding or other suitable cover whereby the top of the
blast furnace is closed, except when material is fed into the same, and there is a pipe
or tube leading from the upper portion of the blast furnace to a vertical condensing
chamber or column, through which a shower of water descends. The lower end of
this column terminates in two branch pipes, each leading to a separate receptacle or
tank; a valve is arranged at the junction of the branches, whereby the current of
liquid can be directed into either of the branches at the desire of the operator. By
this arrangement the current of liquid can be shut off from one tank, and the
sediment or solid matter accumulated therein be removed therefrom while the
liquid enters the other tank. The lower ends of the branches are preferably
arranged below the water level in the tanks so as to be water sealed. The said
tanks are arranged above a larger tank and provided with an overflow pipe which
discharges the surplus of liquid from the first named tanks or receptacles into the
lower tank. There is a water jet arranged in the upper portion of the column
above the junction of the pipe therewith, and sieves or perforated plates are
arranged in the column below the water jet for the purpose of breaking up or
dividing the stream of water into a shower. If desired, the water for supplying the
jet may be taken from the lower tank by means of a pump.
The operation of this improved apparatus is as follows:-
The ore to be smelted is introduced into the furnace together with the requisite
quantity of fuel and flux in any well known and suitable manner. The gas which
is blown into the furnace by the blowing apparatus consists principally of a mixture
of nitrogen, carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide, accompanied by such other gases as
will result from the combination of the fuel in the furnace. This mixture of gases
is injected into the furnace together with the air blast at or below the point at

page_text: which the metal in the ore begins to fuse. In smelting certain kinds of ore it
becomes desirable to employ a pure air blast below the level at which the combined
gas and air blast is injected into the furnace. When this is desired the slides of the
lower gas tuyeres are closed, thereby rendering these tuyeres inoperative while the
adjacent air tuyeres remain in operation. When the furnace is operated in this
manner the entire gas blast is delivered into the furnace through the upper row of
tuyeres, and the fused metal after passing below the level of the upper row of
tuyeres is subjected to the action of the pure air blast before it collects on the
bottom of the hearth. The metal produced from iron ores by this improved
process and drawn off from the hearth in the usual manner is a compound of iron
possessing the malleability and other qualities of steel to a greater or less degree
according to the quality of the ore from which it is produced, and it can be employed
for many of the uses for which steel is employed without any reheating excepting
that which may be necessary to give it the desired form.
When the ore which is melted in this improved blast furnace contains precious
metals the high degree of heat generated in the furnace sublimates or vaporizes the
precious metal, and causes the same to pass off with the gases through the proper
pipe into the condensing column. The gases meet here the descending shower of
water, whereby the condensible, metallic, and other constituent parts of these gases
are precipitated and carried down by the water into the receiving tanks. The heavier
metallic particles collect on the bottom of the three tanks from which this inetallic
sediment is removed from time to time. The sediment is smelted down with lead
in crucibles, and the precious metal is finally obtained from the bullion so pro-
duced by cupellation or in any other suitable and well known manner.
Refractory ores which are not practically reducible by any heretofore known
process can be profitably worked in the above described manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
Southampton Buildings, London.
SMELTING IRON AND OTHER ORES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
STEEL, AND FOR THE RECOVERY OF PRECIOUS METALS FROM ORES CONTAINING
THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Thursten Gordon Hall and George
Henry Van Vleck, both of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates more especially to the smelting of iron ore, and has for its
object to improve the quality of the metal which is produced, and to recover the
precious metal carried off by the gases which escape from the furnace.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the said improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan or top view of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the lower portion of the said furnace drawn to an
enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 1, also drawn to an
enlarged scale.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of one set of tuyeres.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents a blast furnace of any ordinary or well known construction; B
represents the chimney or other gas exit passage of a furnace B', in which coal or
some other fuel is burned with a free admission of air; C represents a centrifugal
fan or other suitable blowing apparatus, having its eye or inlet opening connected
by a pipe c with the chimney or gas exit passage B, so as to draw the gas which
escapes from the furnace B¹ into the chimney or exit passage B to the fan C. The
latter forces the gas through the discharge pipe & into the annular gas chamber D,
which surrounds the furnace above the hearth, and which is provided with
downwardly inclining pipes e, e¹, leading to the gas tuyeres E, E'; F represents
.a centrifugal fan or other suitable air blowing apparatus, having its discharge
pipe connected with an annular chamber G, which surrounds the furnace near
the annular gas chamber D. The air chamber G is provided with downwardly
extending pipes h, h¹, which connect with the air tuyeres H, H. As shewn in the
Drawing, each gas tuyere is arranged between two air tuyeres, and these tuyeres are
arranged in two or more rows or tiers one above the other. The upper row is
formed by the gas tuyeres E receiving the gas through the inclined pipes e, and the
air tuyeres H receiving the air through the inclined pipes h. The lower row is
formed by the gas tuyeres E' receiving the gas through the pipes e¹, and the air
tuyeres H¹ receiving the air through the pipes h'. The pipes e¹ through which the
gas is conducted to the lower tuyeres E¹ are each provided with a stop cock or
sliding valve I, whereby the flow of gas to the tuyeres E¹ can be regulated or
entirely stopped at the desire of the operator; J represents a steam-pipe surrounding
the furnace, and provided with depending branch pipes which open into the lower
gas tuyeres E', and are provided with suitable stop-cocks j¹, whereby steam can be
mingled with the gas which is injected into the furnace through the lower gas
tuyeres at the desire of the operator. The tuyeres are provided in their outer
ends with panes or pieces k of mica, through which the interior of the furnace can
be observed while in operation.
L represents a surface cooler arranged in the gas conduit c between the gas exit
passage B and the blowing apparatus C. As shown in the Drawing, the cooler L
is composed of a closed vertical tank provided with vertical pipes 1, which are fitted
with their ends in two horizontal plates 11, 12, forming an upper and lower
chamber L³, L³, in the tank L. The gas from the exit passage B of the furnace

page_text: This
enters the upper chamber L' of the cooler, passes thence through the pipes & into
the lower chamber. L', and thence to the blowing apparatus C; m is a water-supply
pipe through which cold water is admitted to the lower part of the space around
the pipes, and between the plates or heads 11, 12, and m is a waste pipe through
which the hot water is permitted to escape from the top of the water space.
hot water may be used for feeding the boiler or for any other purpose. The
temperature of the hot gas which is drawn into the blowing apparatus C is lowered
by the cooler L so as to prevent any injurious effects of the same upon the blowing
apparatus; N represents an equalizing vessel arranged in the discharge pipe d of
the gas blowing apparatus C, and made of sufficient size to retain a large volume
of gas, whereby a steady flow of gas to the gas tuyeres at a uniform pressure is
ensured.
O represents a hinged or sliding or other suitable cover whereby the top of the
blast furnace A is closed except when the said furnace is being fed; p is a pipe or
tube leading from the upper portion of the blast furnace to a vertical condensing
chamber or column P through which a shower of water descends. The lower end
of the column P terminates in two branch pipes P1, P2, each leading to a separate
receptacle or tank Q, Q₁₁; is a valve arranged at the junction of the branches P1, P³,
whereby the current of liquid can be directed into either of the branches P1, P2, at
the desire of the operator. By this arrangement the current of liquid can be shut
off from one tank, and the sediment or solid matter accumulated therein can be
removed therefrom, while the liquid enters the other tank. The lower ends of the
branches P1, P2, are preferably arranged below the water level in the tanks Q, Q¹,
and are thereby water sealed. The tanks Q, Q', are arranged above a larger
tank Q, and provided with an overflow pipe q, which discharges the surplus of
liquid from the receptacles Q, Q, into the tank Q2; is a water jet arranged in
the upper portion of the column P above the junction of the pipe p therewith, and
8 represents sieves or perforated plates arranged in, the column P below the
water jet for the purpose of breaking up or dividing the stream of water into
a shower. If desired the water for supplying the jet may be taken from the
lower tank Q by means of a pump T, as represented in Figure 1.
The operation of this improved apparatus is as follows, that is to say :-
The ore to be smelted is introduced into the furnace together with the requisite
quantity of fuel and flux in any suitable manner. The gas which is blown into
the furnace by the blowing apparatus C consists principally of a mixture of
nitrogen, carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide, accompanied by such other gases as
will result from the combustion of the fuel in the furnace B. This mixture of
gases is injected into the furnace together with the air blast at or below the point
at which the metal in the ore begins to fuse. In smelting some kinds of ore it
may be desirable to employ a pure air blast below the level at which the combined
gas and air blast is injected into the furnace. When this is desired the slides I of
the lower gas tuyeres E' are closed, thereby rendering these tuyeres inoperative
while the adjacent air tuyeres H' remain in operation. When the furnace is operated
in this manner the entire gas-blast is delivered into the furnace through the upper
row of tuyeres, and the fused metal after passing below the level of the upper row
of tuyeres is subjected to the action of the pure air blast before it collects on the
bottom of the hearth. The metal produced from iron ores by this improved
process, and drawn off from the hearth in the usual manner, is a compound of iron
possessing the malleability and other qualities of steel to a greater or less degree
according to the quality of the ore from which it is produced, and it can be
employed for many of the uses for which steel is employed without any reheating
excepting that which may be necessary to give it the desired form.
When the ore which is smelted in this improved blast furnace contains precious
metals, the high degree of heat generated in the furnace sublimates or vaporises the
precious metals, and causes the same to pass off with the gases through the pipe p
into the condensing column P. The gases meet here the descending shower of water
whereby the condensible metallic and other constituent parts of these gases are

page_text: precipitated and carried down by the water into the receiving tanks Q, Q¹. The
heavier metallic particles collect on the bottom of the tanks Q, Q, Q', from which
this metallic sediment is removed from time to time. The sediment is smelted
down with lead in crucibles, and the precious metal is finally obtained from the
bullion so produced by cupellation or in any other suitable manner.
Refractory ores which are not practicably reducible by any other process can be
profitably worked in the above described manner.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim,-
First. The herein described process (of producing steel directly from the ore)
which consists in smelting the ore in a blast furnace by means of an air blast and
a blast of gas composed principally of nitrogen, carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide,
such as may be derived from the chimney of a furnace in which coal or similar
fuel is burned with free admission of air, substantially as set forth.
Second. The herein described process (of recovering the precious metal contained
in the ore) which consists in smelting the ore in a blast furnace by means of
a combined air and gas blast whereby the precious metal is sublimated, and then
precipitating the sublimated metal in an open condensing column by means of a
water-shower, substantially as set forth.
Third. A blast furnace (for smelting ores) provided with an air blast and a gas
blast on the same level, and a simple air blast at a level below that of the
combined air and gas blast, substantially as set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. The combination with a blast furnace and the chimney B of an ordinary
furnace B¹, of a gas blowing apparatus having its gas inlet connected with the
chimney B, and its discharge pipe with suitable tuyeres and an air blowing apparatus
connected with suitable tuyeres, substantially as set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. The combination with a blast furnace and the ordinary furnace chimney B
of a gas blowing apparatus C, air blowing apparatus F, and gas and air tuyeres
E, E¹, H, H', arranged in two rows or tiers one above the other, the gas tnyeres E'
in the lower tier being provided with slides I whereby the flow of gas to theso
tuyeres can be regulated, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the blast furnace and the conduit c for receiving
the hot gas from the chimney B of the cooler arranged in the conduit c between
the chimney and the blowing apparatus, so that the gas is cooled before it reaches
the said blowing apparatus, substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The combination with the blast furnace provided with gas tuyeres E, E',
and air tuyeres H, H³, of the condensing column open at the top and bottom,
connected with the upper portion of the blast furnace by a pipe, and provided
with a water spray, and one or more receptacles for the precipitated metal,
substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The combination with the blast furnace of the gas pipe p, the condensing
column provided with the water spray, and formed at its lower end with two or
more branches, the gate or valve r, and two or more separate receptacles Q, Q
substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
M DODT TAD