IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR REDUCING ZINC ORES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Prince, of the Office for Patents, 4,1
Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR REDUCING ZINC ORES."-A
communication from abroad by Adolphe Charlier, Director-General of
the Mines and Foundries of Eschweiler, résident at Stolberg, near Aix-..
la-Chapelle, in the Kingdom of Prussia.
Sealed the 2nd May 1862, and dated the 6th November 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Prince at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1861..
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square,.
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR REDUCING ZINC ORES,"
a communication from abroad by Adolphe Charlier, Director-General of the
Mines and Foundries of Eschweiler, resident at Stolberg, near Aix-la-Chapelle,
in the Kingdom of Prussia, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improved arrangements of furnaces for the pur-
pose of reducing zinc from zinc ores, whereby the number of furnaces usually
employed may be doubled in the same space.
I propose to construct an upper set of muffles with suitable beds in ranges
of retorts placed one upon another, in such manner that they cannot bend or

page_text: burst and cause the furnace to become dirty. The foundation, vaulting, hearth,
chimney, and iron bands are arranged as in ordinary furnaces of half the power
of production, except that a slight increase in their length is made. By
arranging the muffles in the furnace in a double range, the upper range resting
on a bed placed on the lower range of muffles, the production of zino in a
reducing furnace may be doubled, and a better quality of metal obtained than
by the ordinary method of a single range of muffles. The zinc is to be con-
densed from the muffles in suitable recipients, and the sublimed zinc resulting
from the process is to be collected in proper receivers. A great saving of fuel
is effected by this Invention; 150 lbs. of coal being sufficient to reduce 100 lbs.
of worked zinc ores.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Alexander Prince, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Prince, my 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,
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 FOR REDUCING ZINC ORES," a communication to me from
abroad by Adolphe Charlier, Director-General of the Mines and Foundries
of Eschweiler, resident at Stolberg, near Aix-la-Chapelle, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Prince, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Prince, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consists in improved arrangements of furnaces for the purpose
of reducing zinc from zinc ores, whereby the number of furnaces usually en-
ployed may be doubled in the same space.
I construct an upper and lower set of muffles with suitable beds in ranges
of retorts placed one upon another, in such manner that they cannot bend or
burst and cause the furnace to become dirty. The foundation, vault, hearth,
chimney, and iron bands are arranged as in ordinary furnaces of half the
power of production, except that a slight increase in their length is made. By
arranging the muffles in the furnace in a double range, the upper range resting
on a bed placed on the lower range of muffles, the production of zinc in a
reducing furnace may be doubled, and a better quality of metal obtained than
by the ordinary method of a single range of muffles. The zinc is to be con-
densed from the muffles in suitable recipients, and the sublimed zinc resulting
from the process is, to be collected in proper receivers. A great saving of fuel
is effected by this Invention; 150 lbs. of coal being sufficient to reduce 100 lbs.
of worked zinc ores.
The Invention will be more clearly understood by a reference to the illus-
trative Sheet of Drawings hereto annexed, and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1, being a transverse vertical section of the furnace.
Fig. 2,
Fig. 3,
"
another section taken transversely.
a longitudinal vertical section.
Similar letters of reference denoting corresponding parts in each of the
Figures.
a is the longitudinal canal; b, the transverse canal; c, the fire bars; d, the
hearth; e, the bed for the under range of muffles; f, the muffles of the under
range; g, the bed for the upper range of muffles; h, the muffles of the upper
range; i, the flues through the furnace bottom; j, the flues to the chimney;
kc, the direction of the flame to the first range of muffles; 7, the flues to the
chimney; m, chimney for both furnaces; n, damper for regulating the draught;
o, openings for sweeping; p, door to give the charge; q, recipient for con-
densing the reduced zinc; 7, small cast-iron mouths; s, recipient of sublimed
zinc. The arrows show the direction of the draught.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I do not limit myself to the precise details
and configuration of parts herein expressed and shewn, but I claim as the In-
vention to be secured by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, the general
improvements and arrangement of parts of furnaces for reducing zinc ores,
particularly with reference to the upper and lower ranges of muffles, substan-
tially as herein described and shewn.
. In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Prince, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two..
ALEX. PRINCE. (L.S.)