Metals, and Making Alloys of Metals and analogous Operations.
Year: 1885

page_text: Metals, and Making Alloys of Metals and analogous Operations.
We LEON QUENTIN BRIN and ARTHUR BRIN both of Paris in the Republic of
France Civil Engineers do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING METALS FROM THEIR ORES REFINING METALS
AND MAKING ALLOYS OF METALS AND ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS," that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is to provide a process for separating metals from
their ores for refining metals and making alloys of metals and for analogous
operations such for example as treating gold pyrites or the like. We employ in
conducting the present process according to our Invention oxygen which may
conveniently be obtained by the process described in the Provisional Specification
accompanying our Application for Letters Patent No 157 of the present year. In
making alloys according to this Invention we place in a crucible or suitable vessel
powdered coal or other suitable fuel and the ores or metals metals which are to
form the alloy they being in a reduced divided or powdered state. The crucible
should be as free as possible from Silica or Alumina. We introduce a pipe of
earthenware or other suitable material down to about the centre of the contents
of the crucible the said pipe being perforated at its lower end. We place the
crucible and its contents in a furnace (preferably a reverberatory furnace heated
by Carbonic oxide) and heat gradually to a cherry red. We then remove the
crucible and its contents from the furnace and place them in a melting chamber
and heat the same to a high temperature. We then admit oxygen under pressure
through the aforesaid pipe into and amongst the contents of the crucible which
engenders a very high temperature causing the mass to melt a part of the carbon
and the impurities of the metals volatilizing and an ingot of the desired alloy is
formed in the crucible. This we pour into moulds.
The refining of metals or the separation of metals from their ores or analogous
operations are performed in the same manner placing however the crusbed or
divided metal to be refined and the fuel if necessary or the crushed or divided ore
with fuel in the crucible and subjecting the contents to the process a little longer
than is necessary in the case of ore.

page_text: An apparatus suitable for use in conducting the process according to our
Invention consists of a Gasometer for containing the oxygen and a pump for
forcing the oxygen into a compresser provided with a manometer the supply pipe
to the said compresser having thereon an equilibrium valve which allows of the
return of oxygen to the gasometer when the compression has reached a pre-
determined point so that no waste of the gas occurs and accidents are prevented.
At the outlet from the compresser the oxygen passes through an automatic
regulator for regulating the pressure of the jet of oxygen issuing into the crucible
the said oxygen entering the crucible by a strong flexible tube or attachment
connected with the pipe described as being inserted into the contents of the
crucible. This enables the oxygen to be directed by hand as may be necessary.
We can also provide in place of this single current of oxygen a double current one
of hydrogen or carbonic oxide and the other of oxygen so that either or both of
these currents can be turned into the contents of the crucible as desired.

page_text: Metals, and Making Alloys of Metals and analogous Operations.
We LEON QUENTIN BRIN and ARTHUR BRIN both of Paris in the Republic of
France Civil Engineers, 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 object of our Invention is to provide a process for separating metals from
their ores, for refining metals and making alloys of metals and for analogous
operations such for example as treating gold pyrites or the like. We employ in
conducting the present process according to our Invention oxygen which may
conveniently be obtained by the process described in the Specification accom-
panying our application for Letters Patent No 157 of 1885. In making alloys
according to this Invention we place in a crucible or suitable vessel powdered coal
or other suitable fuel and the ores or metals from or of which the alloy is to be
formed they being in a reduced divided or powdered state. The crucible should
be as free as possible from Silica and Alumina. We introduce a pipe of earthen-
ware or other suitable material down to or about the centre of the contents of the
crucible the said pipe being perforated at its lower end. We place the crucible
and its contents in a furnace (preferably a reverberatory furnace heated by carbonic
oxide) and heat gradually to a cherry red or thereabouts. We then remove the
crucible and its contents from the furnace and place them in a melting chamber
and heat the same to a high temperature preferably by means of carbonic oxide
and air forced into the combustion chamber by a fan or otherwise.
admit oxygen under pressure through the aforesaid pipe into and amongst the
contents of the crucible which engenders a very high temperature causing the
mass to melt, a part of the carbon and the impurities of the metals volatilizing
and an ingot of the desired alloy is formed in the crucible. This we pour into
moulds.
We then
The refining of metals or the separation of metals from their ores or analogous
operations are performed in the same manner placing however the crushed or
divided metal to be refined and the fuel if necessary or the crushed or divided ore
with fuel in the crucible and subjecting the contents to the process a little longer
than is necessary in the making of alloys.
An apparatus suitable for use in conducting the process according to our
Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing. It consists of a
Gasometer A. for containing the oxygen and a pump B. of any suitable kind
for forcing the oxygen into a compresser C provided with a manometer c the
supply pipe c' to the said compresser having thereon a valve c³ of any suitable
construction which allows of the return of oxygen to the gasometer A when the
compression has reached a predetermined point so that no waste of the gas occurs
and accidents are prevented.
At the outlet D from the compressor C the oxygen passes through an automatic
regulator G (also of any suitable construction) for regulating the pressure of the
jet of oxygen issuing into the crucible E the said oxygen entering the crucible by

page_text: a strong flexible tube for attachment connected with the pipe F described as
being inserted into the contents of the crucible E. This enables the oxygen to be
directed by hand as may be necessary as shown at X. We can also provide in
lace of this single current of oxygen a double current one of hydrogen or carbonic
oxide and the other of oxygen so that either or both of these currents can be
turned into the contents of the crucible as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. The manufacture of alloys of metals by henting the reduced divided
crushed or powdered metals or ores of or from which the alloys are to be formed
in conjunction with a suitable fuel and treating the same with oxygen admitted
thereto substantially as herein before described with or without the conjoint use of
hydrogen or carbonic oxide.
Second. The refining of metals or the separation of metals from their ores by
heating the reduced, divided, crushed or powdered metal or ore and subjecting it to
treatment with oxygen admitted thereto substantially as herein before described
with or without the conjoint use of hydrogen or carbonic oxide.
Third. The separation of metals from their ores, the refining of metals and the
making of alloys and analogous operations by subjecting the reduced, divided,
crushed or powdered metals or ores in admixture with fuel when required to the
treatment or process substantially as hercinbefore described con lucted in apparatus
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.