Improvements in the Continuous Manufacture of Light Metals by Application of Electrolysis and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: PROVIDIUNAL
DIECIFICATION,
[Communicated from abroad by Johannes Omholt, of Arendal, in the Kingdom of
Norway, but at present of Gössnitz, Germany, Ohemist, and the Chemische
Fabrik Gössnitz, Böttiger and Seidler, at Gössnitz, Germany, Chemical
Manufacturers.]
Improvements in the Continuous Manufacture of Light Metals
by Application of Electrolysis and in Apparatus therefor.
I, PETER JENSEN Fel. Inst. P.A. of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
"
TINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF LIGHT METALS BY APPLICATION OF ELECTROLYSIS AND
IN APPARATUS THEREFOR a communication from Johannes Omholt, of Arendal in
the Kingdom of Norway but at present of Gössnitz Germany Chemist and the
Chemische Fabrik Gössnitz, Böttiger and Seidler, at Gössnitz Germany, Chemical
Manufacturers to be as follows:-
In order to produce the light metals on a cheap and commercial scale by
electrolysis apparatus have according to this Invention been constructed, the great
advantages of which consist in being able to produce the light metals by electrolysis
unintermittently and also in their simplicity. This is attained by a suitable
arrangement of a number of half retorts or bottomless retorts placed horizontally
in a furnace or muffle, further by a suitable combination of these retorts with
suitable receivers, as well as by leading away the light metals formed in the
retorts in a melted or gaseous state in the receivers without interrupting the action
of the electric current. The metals collected in the receivers are from time to time
taken out in a heated condition and are allowed to cool the air being excluded.
The apparatus consists chiefly of a furnace the flue from which has a recessed
hearth which is divided by transverse partition walls. In each of the divisions
are placed two fireproof half retorts horizontal and parallel to each other on girders.
The retorts are only separated from the grate of the furnace by a short space. The
retorts are without bottom. One set of the retorts serve for receiving the negative
electrodes and the other set of retorts contain the positive electrodes. The halogen
compound to be decomposed is put in the recessed hearth of the furnace and is
kept in a melted state and at such a height that the electrodes in the retort become
wholly covered thereby. The metal formed at the negative electrodes as well as
Prine 1

page_text: the halogen given off at the positive electrodes collect in the interior of the retorts
and are shut off from the fire gases by the hydraulic lute effected by the dipping in
of the legs or side walls of the retorts in the melted mass.
The retorts are made of fire proof nonconducting material and are inside suitably
lined with a lining of a material which contains carbon. The electrodes consist of
charcoal or of practically indestructible metal. They are placed in the retort
longitudinally and are led into the brickwork of the furnace on one side, and are
there connected with the conducting wires for the electric current. In order to
prevent any metal or halogen from depositing outside of the retorts on the
electrotrodes the parts thereof which are between the front walls of the retorts and
the brick work are insulated by a covering of clay.
By this construction the easy replacement of cracked retorts is attained without
spoiling the electrodes or altering their position.
The retorts are each connected to receivers by a short vertical fireproof pipe as
wide as possible which may suitably be made of a material which contains carbon.
The height of the upper edge of the pipes determines the level of the melted mass
in each division of the furnace The metal formed at the electrodes collects under
the retorts on the surface of the melted mass and goes to the receivers either in a
gaseous or liquid form and is collected in vessels placed thereunder. The receivers
are, like the retorts for the production of lighting gas, closed by means of iron
*mouthpieces, after their having been opened the vessels which are placed underneath
and filled with metal may be taken away and be substituted by others. The latter
are taken away from the receivers as quickly as possible and allowed to cool in an.
inert atmosphere or by exclusion of air. Inert gas is conducted into the receivers
in order to thoroughly exclude the admission of the air.
The conveying away of the halogen formed in the retorts is done in the same
way as the metal is carried off viz: by short vertical pipes the upper edges of
which however project a little above the level of the melted mass in order to
prevent the latter from overflowing. From these pipes the halogen runs into
another set of receivers. The halogen is removed from these receivers by pipes.
The halogen compound to be decomposed may either be supplied continually or
periodically to the hearth divisions, and either in a fluid or solid state.
In order to prevent the melted mass from being polluted by the ashes floating in
the air & the furnace may be constructed as a closed or muffle furnace. The
application of gas firing is also advantageous. For the purpose of more quickly
replacing used up or cracked retorts the furnace arch may suitably be made of
removable moulded pieces of fire clay.
£ 100K

page_text: Improvements in the Continuous Manufacture of Light Metals
by Application of Electrolysis and in Apparatus therefor.
I, PETER JENSEN Fel. Inst. P.A. of 77, Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex but formerly of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex do
hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad
by Johannes Omholt of Arendal in the Kingdom of Norway but at present of
Gössnitz Germany and the Chemische Fabrik Gössnitz, Böttiger and Seidler at
Gössnitz Germany, Chemists, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In order to produce the light metals on a cheap and commercial scale by
electrolysis apparatus have according to this invention been constructed the great
advantages of which consist, in being able to produce the light metals by
electrolysis unintermittently and also in their simplicity. This is attained, as shown
on the accompanying drawings, by a suitable arrangement of a number of half
retorts or bottomless retorts placed horizontally in a furnace or muffles or retorts
further by a suitable combination of these half retorts with suitable receivers, as
well as by leading away the light metals formed in the half retorts in a melted or
gaseous state in the receivers without interrupting the action of the electric current.
The metals collected in the receivers are from time to time taken out hot and are
allowed to cool the air being excluded.
As shown in Figure 1 in longitudinal section, the apparatus consists chiefly of a
furnace, the flue from which has a recessed hearth which is divided by transverse
partition walls a, a. In each of the divisions are placed two fireproof half retorts b
and c horizontal and parallel to each other on the girders d d. The half retorts
are only separated from the bottom of the hearth or furnace by a short space. The
retorts are without bottom. One set of the retorts bb serve for receiving the
negative electrodes e, e, and the other set of retorts c, e contain the positive
electrodes ff. The halogen compound to be decomposed is put in the recessed
hearth of the furnace and is kept in a melted state and at such a height that the
electrodes in the half retort become wholly covered thereby. The metal formed at
the negative electrodes as well as the halogen given off at the positive electrodes
collect in the interior of the retorts and are shut off from the fire gases by the
hydraulic lute effected by the dipping in of the legs or side walls of the retorts into
the melted mass.
The retorts are made of fire-proof nonconducting material and are inside suitably
lined with a lining of a material which contains carbon. The electrodes consist of
charcoal or of practically indestructible metal. They are placed in the retorts
longitudinally as shown in the drawing and are led into the brickwork of the
furnace on one side, as at g in Figure 3 and are there connected with the con-
ducting wires for the electric current. In order to prevent any metal or halogen
from depositing outside of the retorts, or the electrodes the parts thereof which are
between the front walls of the retorts and the brickwork are insulated by a covering
of fire-clay.

page_text: By this construction the easy replacement of cracked retorts is attained without
spoiling the electrodes or altering their position.
The retorts b b are each connected to the receivers k, k by a short, by preference
vertical, fireproof pipe h, h as wide as possible which may suitably be made of a
material which contains carbon. The height of the upper edge of the pipes h, h
determines the level of the melted mass in each division of the hearth or furnace.
The metal formed at the electrodes e, e collects under the retorts b b on the surface
of the melted mass and goes to the receivers k k by way of the pipes h, h either in
a gaseous or liquid form and is collected in vessels placed thereunder. The
receivers k, k are like the retorts for the production of lighting gas closed by means
of iron mouth pieces at n. After their having been opened the vessels which are
placed underneath and filled with metal may be taken away and be substituted by
others. The latter are taken away from the receivers k as quickly as possible and
allowed to cool in an enert atmosphere or by exclusion of air. Inert gas is
conducted into the receivers k in order to thoroughly exclude the admission of
the air.
1
The conveying away of the halogen formed in the retorts is done in the same
way as the metal is carried off by short vertical pipes 1, the upper edges of which
however project a little above the level of the melted mass in order to prevent the
latter from overflowing. From these pipes the halogen runs into another set of
receivers m, m.
The halogen is removed from these receivers by pipes.
The halogen compound to be decomposed may either be supplied continually or
periodically to the hearth divisions and either in a fluid, or solid state.
In order to prevent the melted mass from being polluted by the ashes floating in
the air etc., the furnace may be constructed as a closed or muffle furnace. The
application of gas firing is also advantageous. For the purpose of more quickly
replacing used up or cracked retorts the furnace arch may suitably be made of
removable moulded pieces o, o of fire-clay.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim as the invention communicated to me is:
First. In the manufacture or production of light metals on a commercial scale
by electrolysis from their molten halogen compounds. the application of vessels or
retorts b and c open below and by preference provided with carbonacious lining
the interior of such retorts being shut off by the so to say "hydraulic" lute of the
molten mass and having more or less horizontal electrodes e and f which are
arranged under the retorts and are quite covered by the molten mass.
Second. Conveying away the light metals which have been formed by
electrolysis in a molten or gaseous state from the vessels b, b or c, c and collecting
same into removable vessels.
Third. The application of an inert atmosphere for cooling the contents of the
collecting vessels outside the electrolytical apparatus.