Alluminum and Particularly Aluminium Bronze.
Year: 1888

page_text: Alluminum and Particularly Aluminium Bronze.
I LEON QUENTIN BRIN, of 6 Ruc Wilhem, Auteuil, Paris France, Engineer da
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new system of metallurgical treatment for obtaining alloys
of aluminum with other metals, particularly applicable for the commercial manufacture
of aluminium bronze. This improved system comprises processes and apparatus which
yield new and important commercial results.
The process consists in the direct employment of salts of alumina or of hydrate of
alumina, or even if necessary of bauxite or of clay rich in alumina. These substances
are employed with a view to effect their immediate decomposition in contact with the
metal, the operation being carried on under such conditions as to obtain a rapid
decomposition and an immediate combination of the aluminum and the metal con-
currently with the utilization without loss of the whole of the heat engendered. The
operation is effected in an apparatus similar in many respects to a blast furnace such
as are generally employed by iron founders.
I will describe the operation as applied to the production of aluminium bronze. The
copper is employed in a granular form, or better still, in the form of thin sheets
thoroughly pickled or cleaned and then immersed in a solution of salt of soda and
common salt (chloride of sodium). Coke is used as fuel in the same way as in iron
foundries, except that it is selected small so as to avoid too large interstices which
would prejudice the operation. The Copper cut up in little pieces is then immersed
in a composition formed by a mixture of the two under mentioned parts.

page_text: The furnace is charged as follows:
Upon a bed of shavings or straw is placed a thick layer of gas coke, and upon this
are placed alternate layers of prepared copper (i.e. copper in sheets, scraps, or granules,
well mixed with the pasty composition above indicated) and of coke until the charge
rises to three quarters the height of the furnace.
The fire being lighted and a blast admitted the metal is soon melted and the salts of
alumina reduced to metallic aluminum which instantly combines with the copper to
form bronze.
If an alloy containing a high percentage of aluminum is required the bronze thus
obtained is then treated as though it were pure copper and the above described opera-
tion repeated as often as necessary until the desired percentage is obtained.
The accompanying drawing represents an example of a furnace arranged for carrying
out the invention in practice.
In order to avoid the loss of any products which might be carried off by the blast
the furnace a is provided with a chimney or escape tube b of sufficient diameter to
afford a free outlet, this tube being connected to the top of the furnace and dipping at
its mouth just under the surface of water in a tank c wherein any product carried off
by the blast will be retained. d is the blast pipe and tuyere, e the running hole and fa
ladle or ingot mould placed beneath it.
L. Q. BRIN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Aluminium and Particularly Aluminium Bronze.
1, LÉON QUENTIN BRIN, of 6, Rue Wilhem, Auteuil, Paris, France, Engineer, 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:
This Invention relates to a new system of metallurgical treatment for obtaining alloys
of aluminium with other metals. This improved system comprises processes and
apparatus which yield new and important commercial results.
The process consists in the direct employment of salts of alumina or of hydrate of
These substances
alumina or even if necessary of bauxite or of clay rich in alumina.
are employed with a view to effect their immediate decomposition in contact with the
metal, the operation being carried on under such conditions as to obtain a rapid
decomposition and an immediate combination of the aluminium and the metal con-
currently with the utilization, without loss, of the heat engendered. The operation is
effected in an apparatus similar in many respects to a blast furnace such as is generally
employed by iron founders.
In carrying this process into effect, I take copper, iron, or other metal in the form
of sheets, lumps, granules, or bars, and having if necessary cleansed them, I immerse
or coat them with a composition formed by mixing the following ingredients :-
triturated with sumcient water GO TOTTO A paste of
mixture consists of:-
Clay or ore rich in alumina
Chloride of sodium
-
100 parts
-
125
"
Borax
-
-
10
"
In subsequent operations I replace or omit the borax and employ in lieu thereof twice
the weight of pulverised slag obtained from previous operations. These proportions
may be varied in accordance with experience and according to the nature of the metal
to be alloyed. The quantity of the above fluxes required for each operation will be
about 10% of the weight of the metal treated.
The furnace is charged as follows:-Upon a bed of shavings or straw is placed a
layer of gas coke broken into small pieces; upon this is placed a layer of metal coated
or Dingled with a mixture of flux prepared in accordance to the above directions, and

page_text: upon this is placed a final layer of small coke. If the furnace be large two or more
alternate layers of metal and fuel may be employed. The fire being lighted and a
blast admitted, the metal is soon melted and at the same time the salts of alumina are
reduced to metallic aluminium which at once combines with the copper or other metal
and forms an alloy. If an alloy containing a higher percentage of aluminium is
required the metal thus obtained is then treated as if it were a pure metal and the
above operation is repeated as often as may be necessary until the desired percentage
of aluminium is obtained. The mixture or flux above described may be enriched by
employing chloride of aluminium or other aluminious salts in lieu of the clay or mixed
therewith and with the other materials, but the employment of an aluminium salt is
costly and generally unnecessary.
The furnace used in this operation resembles the ordinary blast furnace generally
employed by iron founders, but in order to avoid the loss of any products which may
be carried off by the draught the furnace is provided with a chimney or escape pipe of
sufficient diameter to afford free outlet to the gases. These gases may be passed
into a muffle and utilized in plating metals with aluminium and forming aluminium
alloys in the manner described in other applications for Letters Patent of even date
herewith and numbered 3547 and 3548, or preferably the pipe or tube may be allowed
to dip its mouth just under the surface of water or other suitable fluid in a tank
wherein the products carried off by the blast will be condensed and retained as bye-
products.
I prefer to furnish the mouth of the pipe with a rose pierced with small holes so as
to bring the gases into more intimate contact with the water or other arresting fluid.
Although I prefer a blast furnace, the comparatively low temperature at which these
alloys melt, enables me to alloy and melt iron and aluminium in an ordinary furnace
without the use of a blast.
Iron, cast-iron, steel, and other metals may be treated according to this invention
with like facility and advantage and will produce alloys of great industrial value.
In the drawing accompanying my provisional specification :-
a represents the furnace.
the chimney or escape tube.
c the tank containing water or other fluid.
d the blast pipe or tuyere.
e the running hole for drawing off the metal.
a ladle or ingot mould placed beneath it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein described method of producing alloys of aluminium with copper or
other metal in the immediate presence of ignited fuel in an ordinary furnace, by sub-
jecting the said metal in the presence of a mixture or flux containing clay or aluminous
salt or earth and common salt, (or other suitable chloride) to a melting heat and thus
effecting the reduction of the aluminium and alloying it directly with the metal, as
specified.
2. The combination, with the outlet of a blast furnace, of a combined condenser and
washer whereby to arrest and retain the bye products produced in the above described
operation of alloying aluminium with another metal in the said surface.
LÉON QUENTIN BRIN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
LÉON QUENTIN BRIN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
WOOD COST TO COD
QUITO
DARBA