IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC- TURE OF RETORTS, MUFFLES, AND POTS FOR REDUCING ZINC AND OTHER ORES, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROTECTING THE SAME FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTION OF HEAT AND SLAG OR ORE.”
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Madge, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan,
Mining Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF RETORTS, MUFFLES, AND POTS FOR REDUCING ZINC AND OTHER ORES,
AND IN THE MEANS OF PROTECTING THE SAME FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTION
OF HEAT AND SLAG OR ORE.”
Sealed the 13th February 1880, and dated the 15th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Madge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th September 1879.
$1
CHARLES MADGE, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Mining Engineer.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RETORTS, MUFFLES, AND POTS FOR
REDUCING ZINC AND OTHER ORES, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROTECTING THE SAME
FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTION OF HEAT AND SLAG OR ORE."
This Invention relates to certain means of protecting the retorts, muffles, and
pots used in the reduction of zinc and other metals and ores from the destructive
action of heat, and the corrosive effects of the slags or ores.
This end has already been to some extent secured under Patents of April 16th,
1870, No. 1113, and April 25th 1871, No. 1092, but in some cases, for example, in
gas heated furnaces and others used for reduction of zinc ores, it is not possible to
cause currents of air to pass in direct course through air passages in walls, floor, or
roof, in retorts, muffles, and pots, by allowing the passages or channels to open
direct into the furnace or into flues at the back of the furnace.
According to my Invention I arrange two passages, that is, a forward and a
return passage, or a series of such passages or channels in the thickness of the walls,
floor, or roof of the retort, muffle, or pot, and these forward and return passages I
connect in pairs by transverse passages near the back end of the retort. One end
of these coupled passages I leave open to the atmosphere and the other or return
end I connect with a special flue. A current or currents of air will thus be caused
to circulate through the walls, floor, or roof of the retort, pot, or muffles, and escape
by the flue or flues, thereby cooling the walls, floor, or roof, as the case may be, of
the retort, and preventing the destructive action of the heat and the slags or ores
on the vessel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Madge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th March
1880.
CHARLES MADGE, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Mining Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RETORTS, MUFFLES, AND POTS FOR
REDUCING ZINC AND OTHER ORES, AND IN THE MEANS OF PROTECTING THE SAME
FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTION OF HEAT AND SLAG OR ORE."
This Invention relates to certain means of protecting the retorts, muffles, and
pots used in the reduction of zinc and other metals and ores from the destructive
action of heat and the corrosive effects of the slags or ores.
This end has already been to some extent secured under two Patents, dated
respectively April Sixteenth, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, No. 1113,
and April Twenty fifth, One thousand eight hundred and seventy one, No. 1092,
but in some cases, for example, in gas-heated furnaces and others used for reduction
of zinc ores, it is not possible to cause currents of air to pass in direct course
through air passages in the walls, floor, or roof in retorts, muffles, and pots by
allowing the passages or channels to open directly into the furnace or into flues at
the back of the furnace.
According to my Invention I arrange two passages, that is, a forward and a
return passage, or a series of such passages or channels, in the thickness of the
walls, floor, or roof of the retort, muffle, or pot, and these forward and return
passages I connect in pairs by transverse passages near the back end of the retort.
One end of these coupled passages I leave open to the atmosphere and the other or
return end I connect with a special flue. A current or currents of air will thus be
caused to circulate through the walls, floor, or roof of the retort, pot, or muffle, and
escape by the flue or flues, thereby cooling the walls, floor, or roof, as the case may
be, of the retort, and preventing the destructive action of the heat and of the slags
or ores on the vessel.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn my Invention as applied in its
simplest form, in which the air passages are formed in the base or floor of the
retort only.
Fig. 1 is a cross section of the improved retort, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section
taken on the line x, x, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken on the line 2, 2,
of Fig. 1. A is the forward air passage or channel, A' the return passage, and A²
the transverse connecting passage. The passage A is left open to the atmosphere
and the passage A¹ is intended to be connected with a special flue for carrying off
the air which has become more or less heated in passing through the passages or
channels A and A¹.
Sometimes it may be desirable to force the air through the passages, in which
case the passage A will be connected with a force pump or blower.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of
Retorts, Muffles, and Pots for Reducing Zinc and other Ores, and in the Means of
Protecting the Same from the Destructive Action of Heat and Slag or Ore," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim the means above
described for ensuring a circulation of air through the floor, walls, and roof of
retorts, muffles, and pots, or through either of such parts (without discharging such

page_text: air into the retort or muffle furnace) for the purpose of protecting the same from
the destructive effects of heat and of the slag or ores contained in such vessels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Madge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
CHAS. MADGE. (L.S.)