Improvements in the Manufacture of White Arsenic.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 4th Nov. 1896--Accepted. 12th Dec.. 1896
Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 4th Nov. 1896--Accepted. 12th Dec.. 1896
Improvements in the Manufacture of White Arsenic.
THOMAS PULSFORD SIMS Assayer and Analytical Chemist Promenade, Mount
Pleasant, Swansea WILLIAM TERRILL Metallurgist 42 St. George's Street, Swansea
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
There are many by-products known in the arts, which contain much iron and
arsenic, together with smaller proportions of other metals; for example, the materials
known as "Slurrie" and "Hardhead."
Now such by-products are esentially arsenides or sulpharsenides of iron, but may
contain also copper, lead tin, silver, gold, or other valuable metals.
Further such by-products cannot be made to yield their arsenic, so as to be of
use in the manufacture of white arsenic, by any of the processes hitherto practised
in that manufacture.
The object of this invention is to extract the arsenic by "Bessemerizing" that
is to say, by forcing a current of air, steam, or other oxidizing gas, through the
material whilst in a molten state, whereby the arsenic becomes oxidized into arsenious
acid, and at the same time volatilized; and the vapour of arsenious acid, thus formed,
being conducted into a cold chamber condenses into the marketable commodity
known as white arsenic.
We believe that the process can be best carried out in the following manner :-
First to melt the said by-product in a cupola furnace, then to run the molten result
into an already heated "converter" supplied with a blast of air; and the charge to
be there blown as long as vapours of arsenious acid continue to form.
The molten contents of the "converter" are then tapped out; they consist of slag
(mostly iron oxide) and a matte or metal containing the valuable metals. The slag
and matte or metal are easily separated from each other. The arsenious acid vapour
is conducted into a chamber or series of chambers for condensation in the usual way.
Dated this 29th day of April 1896.
THOS. P. SIMS.
W. TERRILL.
Improvements in the Manufacture of White Arsenic.
THOMAS PULSFORD SIMS of 8 Promenade, Mount Pleasant, Swansea, Analytical
Chemist, and WILLIAM TERRILL of 42 St. George's Street, Swansea, Metallurgist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
There are many by-products known as "Slurrie," "Hardhead" and other names,
which consist largely of iron and arsenic, but may also contain other valuable metals
in smaller proportions.

page_text: Such by products are essentially arsenides of iron, and they cannot be made to
yield their arsenic in such a way as to be of use in the manufacture of "white
arsenic" by any of the processes hitherto practised in that manufacture.
The object of this invention is to extract the arsenic from such aforesaid by-
products by "Bessemerizing," that is to say, by blowing a current of air, steam or other
oxidizing gas or vapour, through or into the material whilst in a molten state
whereby the arsenic becomes oxidized into arsenious acid, otherwise "white arsenic."
At the same time the said arsenious acid becomes volatilized, and the vapour, being
led into suitable cold chambers, condenses, and forms the marketable commodity
known as "white arsenic."
The process may be carried out in any of the well known forms of furnace used in
conjunction with a blast of air.
We find the most economical method to be, to use a fixed vessel, instead of the
usual movable vessel known as "the Bessemer converter." And this fixed vessel is
provided with a "tap-hole" at the lowest level, and with nozzles, for the introduction
of a blast of air, at a level an inch or more above the level of the tap hole. The said
-vessel is also provided with a "water-jacket" entirely surrounding the vessel, and
reaching from the level of the nozzles to about two feet above this level.
The unmelted charge may be introduced into the said fixed vessel and melted there,
but we prefer to melt the charge in an adjacent furnace, and then to allow it to flow,
in a molten state, into the said fixed vessel. The blast of air is introduced just
before the molten charge is run in, and is maintained throughout the operation.
. When vapours of arsenious acid cease to be evolved, the molten contents are tapped
out of the vessel, through the tap-hole below, into a suitable receiver; and the blast
may then be turned off.
The molten material which is tapped out consists of slag (mostly iron oxide) and a
matte, metal or speiss containing iron, copper, silver, or other non volatile metal that
. may be present in the original product.
The slag and matte, metal or speiss are easily separable from one another. The
arsenious acid vapour is conducted into a chamber or series of chambers suitable for
the condensation of the same, to produce the ordinary white arsenic of commerce.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
Firstly. The extraction of arsenic in the form of "white arsenic" from certain
products consisting essentially of arsenide of iron, by oxidation during fusion of such
said products substantially as described.
Secondly. The use of a blast of air, steam, or other oxidizing gas, to blow the
said products whilst they are in a state of fusion, for the purpose of manufacturing
white arsenic" substantially as described.
Doted this 2nd dose of November 1896
THOS. P. SIMS.
W. TERRILL.