Improvements in and connected with the Smelting of the Sulphurets or Sulphides of Certain Metals, and in Apparatus to be used therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1893-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Smelting of the Sulphurets
or Sulphides of Certain Metals, and in Apparatus to be used
therewith.
A communication from abroad by JOHN DIXON, Chemist, FREDERICK JAMES
BLADES, Brewer, WILLIAM SElby Douglas, Gentleman, and DAVID
GARLICK, Architect, all of 41, Currie Street, Adelaide, South Australia. -
I FREDERIC O'CONNOR PRINCE, of 1 Quality Court, London, W.C., Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The improvements the subject of this application relate to an extension of
the invention described in the Specification of Patent No. 10621 of 1885 and
consists
:
First. Of a better arrangement of the groups of wheels forming the regulating
train whereby a finer and more regular supply of ore is obtained for the furnace viz.:
instead of the four wheels on the spindle L being 70, 67, 64 and 60 a better result.
is obtained by making them 120, 119, 118 and 117 links. Those on L' instead of
being 7, 58, 50, 44, 38, and 35 are better for being 70, 68, 66, 64, 62 and 60
respectively. Those comprising L³ instead of being 70, 58, 47, 35, 23 and 11 are
better for being 34, 32, 29, 26, 23, and 20 links in circumference respectively
L' varies with the kind and speed of engine L remaining at 70 links. The pistons
or discs which deliver the ore into the feeding boot M being subject to wear provision
being made for it by removable rings, more particularly described hereafter and a
more regular delivery is obtained by putting the said discs closer together and
working them over circular toothed wheels suitably recessed as shown in
accompanying plan, instead of sexagonal as in first Patent.
up
Second. The fluxing away of the furnace lining being very energetic causes
great delay in working and the ordinary iron water-jacket is not available for the
purpose. To remedy this: I employ a cylindrical pipe of firebrick built
of pieces. The thickness being small say an inch and a quarter for the size of
furnace about to be particularly described bound together by vertical metallic rods
and horizontal hoops. The cupola is composed of ordinary fire-brick built inside a
containing vessel and the above pipe is placed concentrically over it coated on the
outside with melted pitch and bolted in position inside said vessel which is nearly
filled with sand or its equivalent and water: the grains of said sand or equivalent
being sufficiently large to permit of easy circulation of the water which is kept
constantly flowing through by means of a pipe from an extraneous source discharging
against the feed-blast-pipe at its junction with said firebrick-pipe.
Third. Instead of circular holes or tuyers the blast with the exception of that.
which is required to drive the charge into the furnace is supplied through dovetail
fire bricks each brick having a central channel in it and fixed in the furnace as
shown hereafter. The breadth of the tuyer hole is the span of the arc of the small
end of the brick and its depth a quarter of an inch. The furnace to be well heated
first and when it is considered the initial charge has risen to the neighbourhood of
the tuyers the pressure of the blast must be increased to prevent them from being
blocked up to be again reduced when the charge has risen high enough to start
the feeder.
To assist in the descriptions of my said invention I have annexed hereto two
sheets of drawings tracing.No. 1 showing improved feeder No. 2 the furnace.
Figure 1 plan of half one of the disc-pullies: showing one disc, three teeth and five
recesses in the rim with strengthening web under.
Figure 2 shews two links of the chain required, on one of which an oblong

page_text: :
pian in Figure three of these as are threaded
through the circular disc
Figure 5 and the disc is rivetted airtight to the appendix Figures 2 and 3.
This disc is shown in elevation in Figure 1 as having a shoulder on which the split
steel ring
Figure 6 is put and as it wears away a wedge is driven into the split. It is
prevented from slipping off by
Figure 4 which is a plate screwed onto or otherwise fastened to the disc Figure 5.
Figure 7 plan of complete apparatus: Its action has been fully explained in the
previous Patent. The hot blast pipe from its junction with the main through the
heating stove to the heel of the boot M to be larger than that between its toe and
the furnace to allow for possible leakage.
Figure 8 is an elevation of same; the feeding hopper has a projection in front in
which the lower wheel of the elevator turns and the dry ore falls forward as it is
wanted through a throating not so high as the sides of the projection. It is here
assumed that a Roots all-metal blower is used upon the prolonged axle of one
of the revolvers of which a sleeve with a screw thread on it has been secured.
This actuates the feeder by means of a spur and chain wheel fixed as shewn
in Figures 7 & 8. Pressure of the air about 5 lb. per square inch.
Figure 9 an elevation of the furnace in quarter section to the right; and with
the upper portion of the water jacket removed to the left of the diagram.
The
Figure 10 plan of same with ring S in Fig. 9 removed. Same letters refer
to same parts in both. Furnace stands on pillars A secured to bed plate B
as usual, to which is hinged the clearing door C. The outer vessel D and E
is divided in halves vertically and flanged together watertight. In D there are
two tapholes F and G. The lower is of usual type and communicates with
the crucible bottom R. The upper G is. formed by a horizontal branch from:
the passage J. K. The junction between the pipe J. K. and the case D is
kept watertight (or nearly so) by a pyramidical stuffing box of perforated sheet
metal H projecting inwards and fitted with asbestos fibre. The cover Figure 12 is
then bolted over it said bolt holes to be made large enough to allow for expansion
of passage J. K. A hand-hole Q is to be made in a convenient position in case D for
removal of dirt. The remaining half of the case I is in three sections (horizontal)
with sufficient overlap to hold bolts. The lower one contains the crucible.
second X contains the tuyers: the third reaches to the top of furnace. The
passage J. K join with checked edges and are held in position by vertical half-
round rods L prevented from touching the fire brick by strips of asbestos.
millboard and bound together by horizontal metallic bands N kept evenly and
moderately strained by means of the tightening device shown on an enlarged scale
in Figure 13 previous to being secured in position a strip wide enough to receive
the ends of the tuyer-bricks U is to be cut out of the posterior of J in the same
way as marble: say two inches above the last course of bricks forming the crucibles
which course in diagram is to be clipped to receive the said pipe J which is to be
well grouted in The pieces The material of parts J, K, M, must previously be
coated outside with hot pitch. The piece M is kept steady by a square ring of
'round iron P to the vertical sides of which two of the hoops Nare rivetted a ring S
having a section fitting the top of K with trussed rays is screwed to the casing by
the rays as shown. The water-pipe W should communicate with a head high
enough to keep out the sand whilst it discharges against the junction of the pipe T
with that of J. H is the semi-circular air main channel to supply the tuyers U.
The quadrants of the case E under it to have holes in it say a quarter, of an inch
larger each way than the ends of the bricks U and in the position indicated on the
enlarged plan Figure 14. Inside the case E sheet-iron-sleeves a little larger than
the aforesaid holes at that end but tapering down to the size of the brick at the
other where there narrow sides touch or nearly so are to be rivetted as shown.
The segment E should then be placed concentrically with a semicircular templet
same diameter as inside of furnace with a central recess as wide as the tuyers and

page_text: as deep a the thickness of the passage each rick being nela centrany is to
be well grouted into its respective sleeve. A hole having been made for it
previously a piece of the feed blast pipe T having a ring shrunk on it an inch and
a quarter from its inner end and that end well casehardened is inserted into an
oblong piece of firebrick to fill space between the quadrants is then put into the
recess so wedge up all the tuyers. The other end of the said pipe projects beyond
the segment enough for coupling afterwards whilst it is also secured water tight to
the case E as shewn all junctions to be made gond with clay and a coat of melted
pitch. The outer semicircular blast channels can then be bolted on as shown they
communicate by elbows with the V piece shown separately Figure 11 simply butting
against it. Rubber sockets are to be slipped over the junctions and secured with
wire. The pipe T to be kept level with bottom of the boot M. The cover Z
consists of say six sections bound together by an iron ring bevilled to prevent them
The sulphurets
slipping and lugs are attached to the ring to facilitate removal.
to which this Specification refers are galena, auriferous and cupiferous pyrites aud
the common practice of breaking it into separate stages rather than the process
described in my previous Patent. That is to say set the feeder to produce say
557 regulus continuously and as that is tapped out at short intervals to pulverise it
and put it through the furnace again using a stronger pressure of blast in proportion
to the increased specific gravity. The feeder to be set for white metal in the
second operation. prefer to finish the manufacture of the copper in the usual way
after this stage but if desired when the furnace is full of it the feeder may be
stopped and emptied and about half the contents of the furnace reduced to rough
copper before the feeder is again started.
To give the furnace-man proper control he must be furnished with a barometer
and wet and dry bulb thermometer and the percentage of oxygen required to
remove the iron and sulphur by which a regulus of any predetermined composition
is to be obtained. This is his working number and is obtained by computation
from an analysis of the raw dry ore to be treated. This analysis will show what is
to be added (if any) of flux to form a proper slag. A new percentage statement
can then be made and the proportion of copper thus shown is to be used as a divisor
for the proposed richness of the regulus say 53 % with the quotient obtained
multiply all the constituents of the analysis. Then deduct the percentage
composition of a 53 % regulus from each corresponding line find the relative
amount of oxygen required for the difference of iron and sulphur to be removed and
reduce the sum of each line separately back again to its percentage value together
A table giving
with the oxygen required. This latter is the working number.
weight in pounds of oxygen contained in the maximum working delivery of the
blower for every four degrees of Fahrenheits thermometer covering the annual
local range of temperature and for every quarter inch of barometive pressure with
a side column giving weight of sulphur which can be volatalised by the
decomposition of the maximum atmosphere moisture at similar pressure and
temperatures will be required. This can be done from tables already published
also the means of adjusting to any less amount of moisture required another table
will also be required shewing amount of ore delivered by every change of wheels of
which the system governing the feeder is capable after fixing on one train as
a standard which is adjusted to discharge what the table requires.
The above system will preserve the same proportions whatever the speed of the
engine. Such a table is annexed with a delivery to correspond with a contemplated
clean 10% copper pyrites: +: marks relative position for 60° F. and 30 in Bar
For galena the discharge may be about quadrupled and the pipes and discs of the
feeder should be proportionally enlarged. Furnished with these tables he will
observe the instruments and note the oxygen passing from Table 1: treating the
sulphur column as two places of decimals and find the train giving nearest to the
product so formed in Table 2. When treating galena the sulphur column of Table 2
may be ignored care must be taken to maintain the blast just strong enough to
come through the charge and no more. The lead first reduced is changed into

page_text: subsulphide by contact with the melted galena of the initial charge but a slight
excess of blast being sent in with the ore it will in time be reduced again to rough
lead of course a hood and flues' not shown in the drawings will be required in all
cases. When triuting auriferous pyrites a sufficiency of silica or other suitable
substance must be added to form a fluid slag with the oxide of iron produced less
two or three per cent. of the unsmelted ore and this quantity of ore must be blown
in excess of the working number to form a bath in which to collect to gold when
the furnace is full of it the supply of ore is to be shut off for a while and a quantity
of sand or its equivalent sufficient say for half the charge is blown in instead of the
ore when the feeder can again be set to discharge or and the process repeated till
the residue is rich enough for enpeltation or the gold separate of itself but in the
latter case a larger reserve of engine power is required. I do not limit myself to
any particular size of furnace the measurements given on the diagrams refer only to
the size of the furnace described used only for an example for copper ore.
The process I have described may also be considerably varied without changing
the distinctive character of the invention.
FREDC. O'CONNOR PRINCE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Smelting of the Sulphurets
or Sulphides of Certain Metals, and in Apparatus to be used
therewith.
A communication from abroad by JOHN DIXON, Chemist, FREDERICK JAMES
BLADES, Brewer, WILLIAM SELBY DOUGLAS, Gentleman, and DAVID
GARLICK, Architect, all of 41, Currie Street, Adelaide, South Australia.
I FREDERIC O'CONNOR PRINCE, of 1 Quality Court, London W.C. Patent
Agent 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 :-
The improvements the subject of this application relate to an extension of
the invention described in the Specification of Patent: No. 10621 of 1885 and
consists,
First. Of a better arrangement of the groups of wheels forming the regulating
train whereby a finer and more regular supply of ore is obtained for the furnace
viz. Instead of the four wheels on the spindle L being 70. 67. 64. and 60 a
better result is obtained by making them 120. 119. 118 and 117 links. Those
on L' instead of being 70. 58. 50. 44. 38. and 35 are better for being 70. 68. 66. 64. 62
and 60 respectively. Those comprising L' instead of being 70. 58. 47. 35. 23
and 11 are better for being 34. 32. 29. 26. 23. and 20 links in circumference
respectively, I varies with the kind and speed of engine L remaining at 70 links.
The pistons which deliver the ore into the feeding boot M being subject to wear
provision is made for it by removable rings, more particularly described hereafter
and a more regular delivery is obtained by putting the said pistons closer together
and working them over circular toothed wheels suitably recessed as shown in the
accompanying plan, instead of sexagonal as in first Patent.
Second. The fluxing away of the furnace lining being very energetic causes great
delay in working and the ordinary iron-water-jacket is not available for the purpose;
To remedy this; I employ a cylindrical pipe of firebrick built up of pieces the
thickness being small say an inch and a quarter for the size of furnace about to be
particularly described bound together by vertical metallic rods and horizontal
hoops. The cupola is composed of ordinary fire brick built inside a containing
vessel and the above pipe is placed concentrically over it, coated on the outside
with melted pitch and bolted in position inside said vessel which is nearly filled
with sand (or its equivalent,) and water, the grains of sand or equivalent being

page_text: sufficiently large to permit of circulation of the water which is kept constantly
flowing through by means of a pipe from an extraneous source discharging against
the feed-blast pipe at its junction with said firebrick pipe.
Third. Instead of circular holes or tuyers the blast with the exception of that
which is required to drive the charge into the furnace is supplied through dovetail
firebricks each brick having a central channel in it and fixed in the furnace as
shown hereafter. The breadth of the tuver hole is the span of the arc of the small
end of the brick, and its depth a quarter of an inch. The furnace to be well heated
first and when it is considered the initial charge has risen to the neighbourhood of
the tuyers the pressure of the blast must be increased to prevent them from being
blocked up to be again reduced when the charge has risen high enough to start
the feeder To assist in the descriptions of the said invention reference should be
made to the two sheets of drawings filed with the Provisional Application.
:
Figure 1 plan of half one of the disc-pullies showing one disc, three teeth and
five recesses in the rim with strengthening web under.
Figure 2 shews two links of the chain required on one of which an oblong
appendix has been cast shewn in plan in-
Figure 3. Three of these links are threaded through the circular disc.
Figure 5, and the disc is rivetted airtight to the appendix Figures 2 and 3. This
disc is shewn in elevation in Figure 1 as having a shoulder on which the split steel
ring-
Figure 6 is put and as it wears away, a wedge is driven into the split. It is
prevented from slipping off by-
Figure 4 which is a plate screwed onto or otherwise fastened to the disc
Figure 5.
Figure 7. Plan of complete apparatus. Its action has been fully explained in the
previous Specification. The hot blast pipe from, its junction with the main through
the heating stove to the heel of the feeding boot M to be larger than that between
its toe and the furnace; to allow for possible leakage.
Figure 8 is an elevation of same. The feeding hopper has a projection in front,
in which the lower wheel of the elevator turns, and the dry ore falls forward, as it
is wanted, through a throat way not so high as the sides of the projection. It is
here assumed that a Roots all metal blower is used; upon the prolonged axle of one
of the revolvers, of which, a sleeve with a screw thread on it has been secured.
This actuates the feeder by means of a spur and chain-wheel, fixed as shewn
in Figures 7 and 8. Pressure of the air about 5 lb. per square inch.
Figure 9. An elevation of the furnace in quarter section to the right; and with
the upper portion of the water jacket removed, to the left of the diagram.
Figure 10. Plan of same with ring S in Figure 9 removed. Same letters refer to
same parts in both; furnace stands on pillars A secured to bed plate B as usual.
To which is hinged the clearing door C.
The outer casing is divided in halves D and E vertically and flanged together
watertight at E Fig. 10. In D there are two tap holes F and G. The lower is
of usual type and communicates with the crucible bottom R. The upper G is
formed by a horizontal branch from the pipe J. The junction between the pipe J.
and the case D is kept watertight (or nearly so) by a pyramidical stuffing-box of
perforated sheet metal H projecting inwards and filled with asbestos fibre. The
cover Figure 12 is then bolted. over it said bolt holes to be made large enough to
allow for expansion of pipe J. A hand hole is to be made in a convenient
position in case D, for removal of dirt. The remaining half of the case E is in
three sections (horizontal) with sufficient over lap to hold bolts. The lower one
contains the crucible; the second X contains the tuyers; the third reaches to the
top of furnace. The pipes J join with cheeked edges and are held-in position by
vertical half-round rods L prevented from touching the firebrick by strips of
asbestos millboard, and bound together by horizontal metallic band N kept evenly
and moderately strained, by means of the tightning device shewn on an enlarged
scale in Figure 13. Previous to being secured in position a strip wide enough to

page_text: receive the ends of the tuyer-bricks U is to be cut out of the posterior of in the
same way as marble; say two inches above the last course of bricks forming the
crucible which course in diagram is to be clipped to receive the said pipe J which
is to be well grouted in. The pipes J and piece M must previously be coated
outside with hot pitch. The piece M is kept steady by a square ring. of round
iron P to the vertical sides of which two of the hoops N are rivetted. A ring S
having a section and fitting the top of J with trussed rays is screwed to the casing
by the rays as shewn. The water-pipe W should communicate with a head high
enough to keep out the sand whilst it discharges against the junction of the pipe T
with that of J. is the semi-circular air main channel to supply the tuyers U. The
quadrants of the case E under it; to have holes in it say a quarter of an inch
larger each way than the ends of the bricks U and in the position indicated on the
enlarged plan, Figure 14. Inside the case E sheet-iron-sleeves a little larger than
the aforesaid holes at that end; but tapering down to the size of the brick at the
other, where their narrow sides touch or nearly so, are to be rivetted as shewn.
The segment E should then be placed concentrically with a semicircular templet
same diameter as inside of furnace with a central recess as wide as the tuyers and
as deep as the thickness of the pipe J. Each brick being held centrally is to be
well grouted into its respective sleeve. A hole being made for it previously a
piece of the feed-blast-pipe T having a ring shrunk on it an inch and a quarter
from its inner end, and that end well casehardened is inserted into an oblong
piece of firebrick to fill space between the quadrants is then put into the recess
and so wedge up all the tuyers. The other end of the said pipe projects beyond
the segment enough for coupling afterwards whilst it is also secured water-tight to
the case E by jam-nuts. The whole is then to be placed in position and bolted
water-tight to the respective parts of the case E as shewn all junctions to be made
good with clay and a coat of melted pitch. The outer semicircular blast channels
can then be bolted on as shewn. They communicate by elbows with the V piece
shewn separately Figure 11 simply butting against it. Rubber sockets are to be
slipped over the junctions and secured with wire. The cover Z consists of say
six sections bound together by an iron ring bevilled to prevent them slipping and
lugs are attached to the ring to facilitate removal. The sulphurets to which this
Specification refers are--galena, auriferous and cupiferous pyrites and when treating
the latter I find it better to follow the common practice of breaking it into separate
stages, rather than the process described in my previous Specification. That is to
say set the feeder to produce say 557 regulus continuously; and as that is tapped
out at short intervals to pulverise it and put it through the furnace again using a
stronger pressure of blast in proportion to the increased specific gravity. The
feeder to be set for "white metal" in the second operation. I prefer to finish the
manufacture of the copper in the usual way after this stage; but if desired, when
the furnace is full of it, the feeder may be stopped and emptied; and about half
the contents of the furnace reduced to rough copper, before the feeder is again
started. To give the furnaceman proper control he must be furnished with a
barometer, and a wet and dry bulb thermometer and the percentage of oxygen
required to remove the iron and sulphur by which a regulus of any predetermined
composition is to be obtained. This is his working number and is obtained by
computation from an analysis of the raw dry ore, to be treated. This analysis will
show what is to be added (if any) of flux to form a proper slag. As new per-
centage statement can then be made and the proportion of copper thus shown is to
be used as a divisor for the proposed richness of the regulus say 53%. With the
quotient obtained multiply all the constituents of the analysis. Then deduct the
percentage composition of a 53% regulus from each corresponding line; find
the relative amount of oxygen required for the difference of iron and sulphur to be
removed and reduce the sum of each line separately back again to its percentage
value together with the oxygen required. This latter is the "working number."
A table giving weight in pounds of oxygen contained in the maximum working
delivery of the blower for every four degrees of Fahrenheits thermometer covering.

page_text: the annual local range of temperature and for every quarter inch of barometic
pressure with a side column giving weight of sulphur which can be volatalised by
the decomposition of the maximum atmospheric moisture at similar pressures and
temperatures will be required. This can be done from tables, already published in
chemical works, also the means of adjusting to any less amount of moisture
required. Another table will also be required shewing amount of ore delivered by
every change of wheels of which the system governing the feeder is capable after
fixing on one train as a standard which is adjusted to discharge what the table
requires. The above system will preserve the same proportion whatever the speed
of the engine. Such a table is annexed with a delivery to correspond with a
contemplated clean 10% copper pyrite. For galena the discharge may be about
quadrupled, and the pipes and pistons of the feeder should be proportionally
enlarged. Furnished with these tables he will observe the instruments and note
the oxygen passing from Table 1; treating the sulphur column as oxygen then
divide it by the "working number" to two places of decimals, and finds the train
giving nearest to the product so formed in Table 2. The following are the two
tables referred to.

page_text: The relative weights of the moisture and dry air, are so disproportionate that no
practical error will arise by simply deducting the moisture from the total weight of
saturated air to get the actual weight of dry air up to 100°; but if table is extended 35
for higher temperatures, the moisture must be corrected as well as the air to show
combined result at 30 inches pressure.

page_text: When treating galena the sulphur column may be ignored. Care must be taken
to maintain the blast just strong enough to come through the charge and no more.
The lead first reduced is changed into subsulphide, by contact with the melted
galena of the initial charge; but a slight excess of blast being sent in with the ore,
it will in time be reduced again to rough lead of course a hood and flues,' not
shewn in the drawings will be required in all cases. When treating auriferous
pyrites a sufficiency of silica or other suitable substance must be added to form a
fluid slag with the oxide of iron produced, less two or three per cent. of the
unsmelted ore; and this quantity or ore must be blown in, in excess of the
working number to form a bath in which to collect to gold. When the furnace
is full of it the supply of ore is to be shut off for a while, and a quantity of sand or
its equivalent sufficient for say half the charge, is blown in instead of the ore:
when the feeder can again be set to discharge ore, and the process repeated till the
residue is rich enough for cupeltation or the gold separates of itself, but in the
latter case a larger reserve of engine power is required.
"
35
I do not limit myself to any particular size of furnace the measurements given on
the diagrams refer only to the size of the furnace described used only as an example
for copper ore. The processes described may also be considerably varied without
changing the distinctive character of the invention.
I
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The combination of wheels substantially as shewn without confining myself
to the one hundred and twentieth part of the initial charge which each change of
which they are capable, approximately represents in the table.
Second. The whole furnace as a combination of parts.
Third. The use of a central shell of firebrick built up of convenient pieces in a
containing vessel filled or nearly 50 with water, and sand, or its equivalent coated
outside with pitch substantially as described.
Fourth. The principle of delivering the blast through a narrow slit as embodied
in the aforesaid furnace.
Fifth. The tuyer bricks substantially as described.
Sixth. The adaption of the above furnace to the processes in common use in the
manufacture of copper; and to the manufacture of lead & gold substantially as
described.
Dated this 21st day of July 1893.
FREDERIC O'CONNOR PRINCE,