IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING GASES OR VAPOUR TO THE REFINING ANd Purifying of METALS, IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Webster, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of: "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLYING GASES OR VAPOUR TO THE REFINING ANd Purifying of METALS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1873.
I, JAMES WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING GASES OR VAPOUR TO THE REFINING AND PURIFYING
OF METALS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in applying certain gases or vapour to furnaces
employed in refining and purifying metals generally, and in apparatus to
be employed for that purpose, my improvements being more especially
intended for the refining, purifying, or converting of iron.
The gas or vapour I use is obtained from the admixture of vegetable
carbon with hydrocloric or nitrous or nitric acid, combined with

page_text: atmospheric air, and in some cases with the addition of ordinary coal
gas. Of the vegetable carbons, by preference, I use wood naptha mixed
with hydrocloric acid in equal or other suitable proportions, according to
the requirements of the metal under operation.
The apparatus for applying the gases or vapour consists of an iron
tank in which is placed a receiver, made, by preference, of earthenware,
having an inlet pipe near the bottom for the admission of the atmospheric
air and coal gas, and furnished with a perforated plate resting on
supports some little distance from the bottom of the receiver. The space
in the receiver above the perforated plate is filled with cokes, charcoal,
or other suitable substance. The top of the receiver and the iron tank
is closed by a lid or plate secured thereupon.. On this top part is
mounted a glass globe connected to the top part by a pipe passing
through such top part and into the receiver, the pipe having a tap.
Into the glass globe is put the wood naptha and hydrocloric acid in a
mixed state, supplied from a cistern or by any convenient means.
The operation of applying the gas or vapour to the furnace is as
follows: A certain quantity of the mixture in the glass globe is
required to flow through the pipe on to the cokes, to effect which the
atmospheric air supply tap is first turned on, admitting a flow and
pressure of air through the perforated plate and through the cokes,
which are merely necessary to gain surface. The air then passes up the
tube to the glass globe, where it agitates the fluid which is held in
suspension in the globe until the air passing through the fluid to the top
of the globe displaces a portion of the fluid, which by gravitation then
flows down the tube on to the cokes, so that whilst air is passing up the
tube, the mixed air and fluid is also descending. A sufficient quantity
of the mixed fluid having been let through the tube the tap of the
glass globe is turned off; the air in passing through the cokes meets the
mixed fluid; the whole becomes incorporated together, and is driven in
the form of a vaporous gas by the continuous pressure of the air supply
through an outlet pipe communicating with the furnace for purifying or
refining the metal therein. If the metal under operation requires more
carbon than is gained from the vegetable carbon used, I turn on more
coal gas and less atmospheric air, and if the metal requires to be decar-
bonized I supply more air and less coal gas.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the 20th day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Webster, Her special
license that I, the said James Webster, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Webster, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLYING GASES OR VAPOUR TO THE REFINING AND PURIFYING OF METALS, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED TOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Webster, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
and

page_text: The gas or vapour I use is obtained from the admixture of vegetable
carbon with hydrochloric or nitrous or nitric acid, combined with
atmospheric air, and in some cases with the addition of ordinary coal
gas. Of the vegetable carbons, by preference, I use wood naphtha mixed
with hydrochloric acid in equal or other suitable proportions, according
to the requirements of the metal under operation.
The apparatus for applying the gases or vapour, and the manner in
which such gases or vapour are applied will be better understood by
referring to the accompanying Drawing, which illustrates the apparatus,
with the lower part in section and the upper part in elevation.
I form a tank or receptacle (a) of iron, wood, or other suitable
material, and shewn in the Drawing as made of iron. In the tank (a)
is placed a receiver (6), made, by preference, of earthenware. (c) is a
perforated earthenware plate resting upon supports (d), and raised some
little distance from the bottom of the receiver (b), the space in the
receiver (6) above the perforated plate (c) being filled with cokes,
charcoal, or other suitable substance. The top of the receiver (b) and
outer tank (a) is closed by a cover (e) secured down upon the tank (a)
and having a man-hole (f) with lid and adjusting screw (9) for access
to the tank when required. (h) is an inlet pipe passing into and down
the receiver (b) below the perforated plate (c). This pipe is for the
admission of the atmospheric air and coal gas into the receiver (b).
(i) is the outlet pipe for conveying the mixed gases or vapour from the
receiver (6) into the furnace or retort. Upon the cover (e) is mounted
a glass globe (k) held in a suitable framework (2), and connected to the
cover (e) by a pipe passing through the cover (e) for the admission of
fluid from the globe (k) into the receiver (b). (m) is the tap for
regulating the flow of the mixture. The wood naphtha and hydrochloric
acid in a mixed state is put into the glass globe (k), either from the top
by withdrawing the plug (n), or from a cistern communicating with the
supply pipe (o).
In using a wooden tank or receptacle, I can dispense with the
earthenware receiver, in which case the wooden tank is well lined with
a coating of tar and sand.
The operation of applying the gas or vapour to the furnace is as
follows:-A certain quantity of the mixture, according to the require-
ments of the iron or other metal under operation, is allowed to flow

page_text: through the pipe from the glass globe (/), to effect which the atmospheric
air supply tap is turned on, admitting a flow and pressure of air down
the inlet pipe (h) and up through the cokes which are merely required
to gain surface; the air then passes up the tube to the glass globe (k),
where it agitates the mixture or fluid held in suspension in the globe
until the air passing through the fluid to the top of the globe displaces a
portion of the fluid, which by gravitation then flows down the tube into
the receiver and on to the cokes, where it is met by the air ascending
through the cokes, and the whole becomes incorporated together, and is
driven in the form of a vaporous gas by the continuous pressure of the
air supply through the outlet pipe (i) into the furnace or retort for
purifying or refining the metal therein. When a sufficient quantity of
the mixed fluid has been let through from the glass globe (k) the
tap (m) is turned off, and to regulate the amount required for varying
descriptions of iron or other metal I inscribe upon the glass globe or
on the framework (1) a suitable guage or index for reference. As before
stated, I admit coal gas as well as atmospheric air through the inlet
pipe (h) when requisite. If the metal under operation requires more
carbon than is gained from the wood naphtha or other vegetable carbon
used, I turn on more coal gas and less atmospheric air, and if the metal
requires to be decarbonized, I supply more air and less gas.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim,
without confining myself to these precise details, the apparatus hercin
described for the purpose of applying gases or vapour to the refining and
purifying of metals, substantially in manner as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Webster, have hereunto set