Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting Metals from their Ores.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1895-Accepted. 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting Metals from
their Ores.
A communication by LoUIS ROBERT BONEHILL and EMILE TOUSSAINT
GAUTIER, both of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention has for its object the extraction of metals from their ores by
smelting at a single operation and an arrangement of furnace for this metallurgical.
operation.
In the following Specification and the accompanying sheet of drawings, a furnace
evident that this
for refining copper will more particularly be described, but it
improved process is equally applicable to other metals such as lead, silver, gold and
the like, and that in each case it must be modified to suit the nature of the ore
employed and other metallurgical requirements.
On the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the furnace at the height of the
tuyeres.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the rear part of Figures 1 and 2.
1 is the furnace for smelting the ore; for this purpose the ore mixed with fuel
is inserted in the furnace by the opening 2 formed in the roof. In the case in
question the fuel used is coke, but of course any other suitable kind may be
employed. This opening for charging is closed by means of a slab 3 of fire
resisting material, or otherwise, when the charge has been inserted. 4 is an opening
made in one of the furnace walls, by this opening the workman evenly distributes
and levels the charge; it is closed by means of a door of fire resisting material.
5 and 5 are dampers or valves regulating the admission to the flues 6 and 7. 7 is the
flue by means of which the volatile substances reach the passage 8 in order to he
conveyed into the depositing chamber 9. 10 is a pipe conveying steam into the
depositing chamber in order to moisten the volatile substances by the condensation
of the steam and prevent them rising. The steam pipe opens into the depositing
chamber below a metallic plate 14 inclined towards the bottom in order to deflec
towards the latter all the volatile substances which enter the chamber 9 by the
flue 8.
13 is a sheet metal plate closing three sides of the compartment 9 and only
allowing a passage at 11. The gases and the uncondensed steam escape by this
15 is an opening,
passage 11 in order to reach the chimney through the flue 12.
closed by a door, by which the condensed volatile substances are removed from the
chamber 9. The passage 8 is formed of firebricks and is at an inclination. It is
supported by a metallic part 16 in order to allow a free space beneath it for the
tuyeres 17 by which the blast produced by a fan or other blowing apparatus is
conveyed into the furnace. In order to obtain a uniform pressure of wind, the air

page_text: flowing from the blowing apparatus passes through a regulating chamber 18 before
entering the tuyeres. This chamber is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and it
may be of any suitable section. 19 is the bed of the furnace; it is inclined from
one end to the other along the whole length of the furnace in the opposite direction
to the inclination of the roof 20, in order to allow of the gases reaching more
easily the flue 6 and thus diminishing the wear and tear of the roof.
21 is the
opening from which the liquid metal flows or the vent for emptying the furnace at
any desired moment. 22, 23, 24 and 25 are a series of tapping holes for the slag
placed one above the other. The slag is allowed to flow off by the hole 22 until
the metal reaches that level; the hole 22 is then stopped and the hole 23 opened in
order to allow the slag to run away until the metal reaches that level; 23 is then
stopped and 24 opened, and finally when the metal has reached the level of this
latter hole, the metal is allowed to run out by the hole 21. 25 is a hole for allowing
the slag to run away; it may be called the overflow hole; its object is to prevent
slag rising into the tuyeres.
In order to obtain the metal as pure as possible, a layer of slag is only allowed
to remain above it of a thickness of about 3 inches; this slight thickness of slag
only exists over a part of the molten metal, as by reason of the juclination
of the bed, the metal, which is formed in the highest part and which flows down
towards the lowest part, remains during this downward movement at a very high
temperature in contact with the gases which arise from the fuel. The metal is thus
purified and refined very rapidly, reaching the lower part of the furnace, which
forms a basin, in a perfectly pure condition.
In practice when the metal reaches the slag hole 23, the hole for tapping the
metal is opened about every hour, and about a dozen ingots of 30 lbs. may he
collected in a furnace of two tons capacity. The products of combustion enter the
flue 6, they descend by the passage 26 and reach the flue 28 of the chimney 29 by
means of the passage 27 which is below the bed of the furnace.
In order to prevent the molten metal from setting or coagulating opposite the
tuyeres at the points of contact with the currents of air which flow from them,
there is placed above each tuyere a firebrick projection 30, rounded at its upper
part, in order that the molten metal, coming there, may flow to each side leaving
the wind passage free. The charging of the furnace is effected every 30 or
45 minutes, and the charge varies according to the capacity of the furnace. On
cach side of the furnace a platform is arranged, one for coke and the other for the
ore. There is further employed a table inclined towards the charging hole 2;
one of the two blast furnacemen conveys the coke and the other the ore onto this
table which brings the charge into the furnace; a third workman, by means of a
suitable tool, equally distributes the charge over the bed by means of the opening 4.
The opening 2 is closed, then the air blast hole is opened, and the smelting
commences.
If volatile ore is being treated, such as gold, silver, lead or the like, the damper 5
of the flue 6 is closed as soon as the charge is introduced, and the damper of the
flue 7 is opened in order to receive all the volatile particles in the chamber 9, where
they are condensed. When the smelting is completed and the temperature of the
furnace has fallen below the point of volatilisation of the volatile substances, the
damper of the flue 7 is closed and that of the flue 6 is opened, in order to allow
the gases to escape by the chimney. If non-volatile metals are treated, the
chamber 9 is not employed. In furnaces of large capacity, the tuyeres are placed
on both sides and face one another alternately; in furnaces of smaller capacity, the
tuyeres are arranged on one side only in order to maintain for the furnace a sufficient
length to effect a perfect refining.
Dated thin 4th 1001
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,' Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting Metals from
their Ores.
A communication by Louis ROBERT BONEHILL and EMILE TOUSSAINT
GAUTIER, both of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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 has for its object the extraction of metals from their ores by
smelting at a single operation and an arrangement of furnace for this metallurgical
operation.
In the following Specification, a fur.nce for refining copper will more particularly
be described, reference being had to the sheet of drawings accompanying the
Provisional Application, but it is evident that this improved process is equally
applicable to other metals, such as lead, silver, gold and the like, and that in each case
it must be modified to suit the nature of the ore employed and other metallurgical
requirements.
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification
Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the furnace at the height of the
tuyeres.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the rear part of Figures 1 and 2.
1 is the furnace for smelting the ore; for this purpose the ore mixed with fuel is
inserted in the furnace by the opening 2 formed in the roof. In the case in
question the fuel used is coke, but of course any other suitable kind may be
employed. This opening for charging is closed by means of a slab 3 of fire
resisting material, or otherwise, when the charge has been inserted.
4 is an
opening made in one of the furnace walls, by this opening the workman evenly
distributes and levels the charge; it is closed by means of a door of fire resisting
material. 5 and 5 are dampers or valves regulating the admission to the flues 6
and 7. 7 is the flue by means of which the volatile substances reach the passage 8
in order to be conveyed into the depositing chamber 9. 10 is a pipe conveying
steam into the depositing chamber in order to moisten the volatile substances by
the condensation of the steam and prevent them rising. The steam pipe opens
into the depositing chamber below a metallic plate 14 inclined towards the bottom
in order to deflect towards the latter all the volatile substances which enter
the chamber 9 by the flue 8.
13 is a sheet metal plate closing three sides of the compartment 9 and only
allowing a passage at II. The gases and the uncondensed steam escape by this
passage 11 in order to reach the chimney through the flue 12. 15 is an opening,
closed by a door, by which the condensed volatile substances are removed from the
chamber 9. The passage 8 is formed of firebricks and is at an inclination. It is
supported by a metallic part 16 in order to allow a free space beneath it for the
tuyeres 17 by which the blast produced by a fan or other blowing apparatus is
conveyed into the furnace. In order to obtain a uniform pressure of wind, the air
flowing from the blowing apparatus passes through a regulating chamber 18 before
entering the tuyeres. This chamber is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and it
may be of any suitable section. 19 is the bed of the furnace; it is inclined from

page_text: 21 is the
one end to the other along the whole length of the furnace in the opposite direction
to the inclination of the roof 20, in order to allow of the gases reaching more
easily the flue 6 and thus diminishing the wear and tear of the roof.
opening from which the liquid metal flows or the vent for emptying the furnace at
any desired moment. 22, 23, 24 and 25 are a series of tapping holes for the slag
placed one above the other. The slag is allowed to flow off by the hole 22 until
the metal reaches that level; the hole 22 is then stopped and the hole 23 opened in
order to allow the slag to run away until the metal reaches that level; 23 is then
stopped and 24 opened, and finally when the metal has reached the level of this
datter hole, the metal is allowed to run out by the hole 21. 25 is a hole for allowing
the slag to run away; it may be called the overflow hole; its object is to prevent
slag rising into the tuyeres.
In order to obtain the metal as pure as possible, a layer of slag is only allowed
to remain above it of a thickness of about 3 inches; this slight thickness of slag
only exists over a part of the molten metal, as by reason of the inclination of the
bed, the metal, which is formed in the highest part and which flows down towards
the lowest part, remains during this downward movement at a very high temperature
in contact with the gases which arise from the fuel. The metal is thus purified and
refined very rapidly, reaching the lower part of the furnace, which forms a basin, in
a perfectly pure condition.
°
In practice when the metal reaches the slag hole 23, the hole for tapping the
metal is opened about every hour, and about a dozen ingots of 30 lbs. may be
collected in a furnace of two tons capacity. The products of combustion enter the
flue 6, they descend by the passage 26 and reach the flue 28 of the chimney 29 by
means of the passage 27 which is below the bed of the furnace.
In order to prevent the molten metal from setting or coagulating opposite the
tuyeres at the points of contact with the currents of air which flow from them,
there is placed above each tuyere a firebrick projection 30, rounded at its upper
part, in order that the molten metal, coming there, may flow to each side leaving
the wind passage free. The charging of the furnace is effected every 30 or
45 minutes, and the charge varies according to the capacity of the furnace. On
each side of the furnace a platform is arranged, one for coke and the other for the
ore. There is further employed a table inclined towards the charging hole 2; one
of the two blast furnacemen conveys the coke and the other the ore onto this table
which brings the charge into the furnace; a third workman, by means of a suitable
tool, equally distributes the charge over the bed by means of the opening 4.
The opening 2 is closed, then the air blast hole is opened, and the smelting
commences.
If volatile ore is being treated, such as gold, silver, lead or the like, the damper 5
of the flue 6 is closed as soon as the charge is introduced, and the damper of the
flue 7 is opened in order to receive all the volatile particles in the chamber 9, where
they are condensed. When the smelting is completed and the temperature of the
furnace has fallen below the point of volatilisation of the volatile substances, the
damper of the flue 7 is closed and that of the flue 6 is opened, in order to allow
the gases to escape by the chimney. If non-volatile metals are treated, the
chamber 9 is not employed. In furnaces of large capacity, the tuyeres are placed
on both sides and face one another alternately; in furnaces of smaller capacity, the
tuyeres are arranged on one side only in order to maintain for the furnace a sufficient
length to effect a perfect refining.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved furnace for smelting and refining ore at a single operation, in
which furnace the ore and fuel is charged on to a bed inclined towards a series of
tapping holes arranged one above the other in order that the molten metal may
flow over a part of the bed in contact with the gases of combustion, and that there

page_text: may always be above the metal only a thin layer of slag; substantially as herein-
before described and shown in the drawings accompanying the Provisional
Specification.
2. In a furnace for smelting and refining ore such as described in Claim 1, the
use of a depositing chamber for the volatile substances, comprising a separating
plate (13), a passage for the gases (11) a steam pipe (10), an inclined metallic
plate (14) and a discharging door (15), substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown and for the object set forth.
3. In a metallurgical smelting furnace, the arrangement of a firebrick projection
with rounded or bevelled edges above each tuyere with the object of preventing
the molten metal from setting or coagulating on coming in contact with the air from
the tuyeres; substantially as described and shown.
4. The improved process of smelting and refining metallic ores in one operation
in a melting furnace, consisting in charging the ore mixed with fuel on to the
inclined floor of the furnace, in producing combustion by means of air blast, in
purifying the metal by its passage over the furnace bed in contact with the gases
of combustion, and in only leaving above the metal a thin layer of slag; substantially
as hereinbefore described.
and do of Lanu 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.