IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ZINC, ANTIMONY, AND BRASS, IN CASTING BRASS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING POTS USED IN SUCH PROCESSES
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GRAHAM, of Calvert Street, in the County of Middlesex, Metal Refiner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventeenth day of February, in the eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Fer heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Graham, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said James Graham, my exors, adiñors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Graham, my exors, adñiors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ZINC, ANTIMONY, AND BRASS, IN CASTING BRASS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
MAKING POTS USED IN SUCH PROCESSES;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said James Graham, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery, within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at largo appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Grahan, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, (that is to say)
:-
These improvements relate, first, to applying certain apparatus to effect more
advantageously the condensation of the zinc.
Secondly, to a certain arrangement in the construction of part of the pipe
through which the distillation of the zinc is carried on, so that a considerable
saving of labor is effected, and likewise the chance of loss from the negligence
of the workmen in performing such labor is avoided.
Thirdly, to a certain method of tapping pots containing molten zinc,
antimony, and brass, whereby the zinc is obtained with greater purity than by
the method usually adopted, and a considerable saving in fuel results on the
inelting of the metals.
And, fourthly, my Invention relates to an apparatus for ramming the
material when making pots used for the purposes above mentioned.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
The first part of my Invention I perform in the following manner:-The
lower ends of the descending pipes from the pots used in the manufacture of
zinc are to be placed four to six inches under water, and a suitable outlet for
the gas or gases is to be formed, by which means the zinc is condensed more
effectually. The immersion of the tube in water would, if alone resorted to,
leave no exit for the gases generated, and consequently, there would be such a
pressure on the pots as would either burst or break them, or blow the water
out of the ends of the pipes and vessels. To avoid this, I insert in the said
pipe, between the surface of the water and the under side of the brickwork of
the furnace described in the Specification of my former Patent, herein-after
referred to, a gas burner with a cock, through which the gas or gases are allowed
to escape; and I light and thus burn such gas or gases, and they burn with more
or less intensity, according to the rate of reduction of the metal, thereby serving
not only as a criterion of the progress of the operation, but also as a means of
saving and condensing the fine metal. By these means air will be prevented
from coming in contact with the zinc vapour or the zinc in the descending
tubes, and at the same time the pressure being removed, the fine metal is pre-
served from oxydation, and collected in the shape of finely-divided metal,
instead of a considerable portion burning away, creating waste, and producing
a nuisance. Towards the end of this process I have found that the gas or
gases do not come off'in sufficient quantities to burn. I then close the cock of

page_text: the burner, and remove a quantity of the water from the vessel into which the
descending pipes enter, so as only just to seal the ends of the pipes with water,
and in order to prevent a vacuum or partial vacuum in the pots, should the fire
get low or otherwise, I apply a light valve in the side of the descending pipe
opening inwards.
The second part of my Invention I effect as follows:-In the manufacture
of zine I have for some time employed a lining of clay or earthen material to
the upper part of the descending tubes, as is described in the Specification of
Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of October.
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three, and
granted to me for "Improvements in the construction of pots and furnaces
used in the manufacture of zinc and in other manufactures, and also improve-
ments in the treatment of ores of zinc in the process of manufacturing zinc,"
instead of the lining which was attached or fixed at the upper part of the
descending tubes.
I place in the descending tubes a moveable clay pipe, in order to line the
same, by which the frequent labor of cleaning or scraping the descending metal
tube is dispensed with, it being only necessary to clean the moveable clay pipe
once or twice during the operation, and when the charge is exhausted, the said
moveable clay pipe may be cleaned, or if not readily cleaned it may be broken,
in order to separate the metallic zinc, which will to some extent be found
adhering to this inner moveable clay pipe. The moveable clay pipe I fix by
small clamps at or near the bottom of the descending tube, or by any other
appropriate means allowing of the ready removal of such linings; and I would
state in respect to this part of my Invention that it is not new to line the descend-
ing tubes with clay pipes, I having in my former Specification described the
use of fixed clay lining; but I have since found in practice that it is desirable
to have them readily moveable.
The manner of performing the third part of my Invention consists in using
pots or crucibles (placed in a furnace somewhat similarly constructed to the
one described in the Specification of my former Patent), of the capacity desired,
having each a hole on one side (close to the bottom), into the pots or crucibles,
such holes being closed with clay. When the granulated zine, antimony, or brass
above mentioned is charged into these pots, I close the top with a clay cover,
which may be luted on or not. When the metal is melted, it is to be tapped by
means of a drill cutting away the clay at the holes, and the charge, or any part
thereof may be run out into ingots or cast, or otherwise, observing only with
respect to zinc that after the charge is run out, that which is left in the pot or
crucible is to be stirred well round and round with a stick or piece of wood, by

page_text: which means the metal contained in the remaining portion will be liberated,
and nothing will be left but oxide, which had better be removed before a fresh
charge is put in. And it should be stated that during the stirring the hole is
to be closed with clay, which is to be removed, in order to run off the zine
which will have descended to the bottom of the pot or crucible. This furnace,
as above stated, is to be constructed similar to those described in my former
Patent for making zinc; but in this instance there will be no pipes or tubes to
the pots, but they will be heated and otherwise arranged like that furnace,
leaving holes through the furnace for tapping the holes in the pot, which holes
in the furnace will be closed with bricks till the tapping is to be performed.
In making antimony. I charge the pots with crude antimony, or the ore free
from stones, as is well understood in charging moveable crucibles, and when
the charge is done the pots are to be tapped by a drill, as explained. In my
said former Specification I described a means of making pots, and pointed out
how the material of which the pots were composed was to be rammed; since
which have materially lessened the labor of ramming, by having a cylindrical
rammer large enough to fit the interior space where the plastic materials are
introduced between the staves or parts of the mould and the core, such cylinder
being, however, capable of rising freely up and down within such space, and
the lower edge of the cylindrical rammer is made rough, or is formed with
projecting teeth, to penetrate the clay. The rammer is made of metal, and is
raised by means of a rope passing over a pulley, and the rope descends to a
treadle by which a workman may raise the rammer and let it descend quickly.
By this arrangement the work will be more uniformly rammed and be
performed at less cost.
And now having described my said improvements, I would have it to be
understood that what I claim as my Invention is, first, the improvement in
the manufacture of zinc, by allowing the escape from an outlet, as above
described, of the gas or gases generated during the process of reducing zine,
the descending pipe being sealed or closed by immersion in water, and contact
of the atmospheric air with the zinc or zinc vapours being prevented.
Secondly, the improvement in the manufacture of zinc by lining of the
descending pipe or tube with a moveable clay pipe, for the purpose of avoiding
the frequent cleaning of the descending pipe or tube.
Thirdly, the melting of zinc, antimony, and brass, in pots or crucibles,
provided with holes close to the bottoms, as herein-before described, and by
tapping such pots by means of a drill or otherwise.

page_text: And fourthly, the using of a cylindrical rammer and apparatus, as herein
described when making pots for the purposes above mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Graham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid James Graham, came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
O aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.