IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING GASES EVOLVED DURING THE PROCESSES OF SMELTING COPPER ORES SO AS TO PREVENT THE NOXIOUS ACTION OF SUCH GASES ON VEGETATION
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gossage, of Widnes, in the County
Palatine of Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING GASES EVOLVED DURING THE PROCESSES OF SMELTING COPPER ORES
SO AS TO PREVENT THE NOXIOUS ACTION OF SUCH GASES ON VEGETATION."
Sealed the 8th February 1870, and dated the 21st December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gossage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st December 1869.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County Palatine of Lan-
caster, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING GASES EVOLVED DURING THE PROCESSES OF
SMELTING COPPER ORES SO AS TO PREVENT THE NOXIOUS ACTION OF SUCH GASES ON
VEGETATION," to be as follows:-
In the processes of smelting copper ores, as these are ordinarily con-.
ducted, a large quantity of sulphurous acid together with some sulphuric.
acid is evolved during the calcination of the ore by means of atmo-
spherical air, and a similar evolution takes place when "copper regulus "

page_text: (which is a compound of sulphur with copper and iron, and is obtained
as a product when calcined copper ore is melted) is calcined by means
of atmospherical air. These acid gases are usually allowed to escape
into the atmosphere from the smelting works through a chimney, and
are commonly known as "copper smoke," which has been proved to be
highly deleterious to vegetation in the neighbourhood where these pro-
cesses are conducted. I have found that sulphuric acid contained in the
copper smoke is the chief cause of the injurious effects produced on
vegetation by such " copper smoke," and that if this acid bo separated
therefrom and the remaining sulphurous acid be largely diluted with
atmospherical air the resulting mixture of gases may be passed into
the atmosphere without causing damage to the vegetation of the
surrounding neighbourhood. I effect this object by causing the gases
proceeding from the calcination of copper ore or of copper regulus to be
passed through a condensing apparatus similar to those which are so
successfully employed for the condensation of hydrochloric acid in the
manufacture of alkali (for which apparatus I obtained Letters Patent,
bearing date the 24th day of December 1836). In this apparatus the
gases are continually and repeatedly brought into contact with surfaces
moistened with water, and sulphuric acid contained in such gases becomes
absorbed and liquefied and thereby abstracted from the other gases
produced by such calcination. I cause the residual gases to be con-
ducted into a chimney, and at the same time I cause a large quantity
of atmospherical air to be drawn or impelled into such chimney so as
to become well mingled with such residual gases, and thereby to effect
such a large dilution of the same as to render them innoxious to
vegetation when allowed to pass from the chimney into the surrounding
atmosphere.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Gossage in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GoSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Gossage, Her special
licence that I, the said William Gossage, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Gossage, my exe-
cutors, 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 TREATING GASES EVOLVED DURING THE PROCESS OF SMELTING COPPER ORES SO
AS TO PREVENT THE NOXIOUS ACTION OF SUCH GASES ON VEGETATION," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Gossage, 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, and 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Gossage, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
In the processes of smelting copper ores (as these are ordinarily.
conducted) a large quantity of sulphurous acid gas together with
sulphuric acid gas is evolved during the calcination of the ore by means
of heat and atmospherical air, and a similar evolution of gases takes
place when calcined copper ore is melted for the production of "regulus"
which is a compound of sulphur with copper and iron), also when
such "regulus" is calcined or roasted by means of heat and atmo-
spherical air and during the melting of such calcined or roasted regulus
these acid gases are usually allowed to escape into the atmosphere-
from the smelting works through a chimney, and are commonly known..
as copper smoke," which has been proved to be highly deleterious to
vegetation in the neighborhood where these processes are conducted:
I have found that sulphuric acid is the most active cause of the injurious
effects produced on vegetation by "copper smoke," and that if this acid
"

page_text: or the greatest part of it be separated from such smoke and more especially
of the remaining sulphurous acid be largely diluted with atmospherical
air, the resulting mixture of gases may be passed into the atmosphere
without detriment to the vegetation of the surrounding neighborhood.
I effect the object of my Invention by causing the gases proceeding
from the calcination of copper ore or of "regulus" or from the melting
of calcined copper ore or of "regulus" to be passed through a con-
densing apparatus similar to that which is so commonly employed
for the condensation of hydrochloric acid in the manufacture of sulphate
of soda for the production of alkali (for which apparatus I obtained
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.) In this apparatus the gases
are continually and repeatedly brought into contact with surfaces
moistened with water, and sulphuric acid contained in such gases
becomes absorbed and liquified, and thereby abstracted from the other
gases produced by such calcination of copper ore or regulus, or by
melting such calcined copper ore or regulus.
The condensing apparatus I employ for separating sulphuric acid from
copper smoke is represented in the Drawing hereunto annexed, in
which A is a framing of timber lined by sheet lead B forming a
vertical tower or chamber, which is nearly filled with partially vitrified
bricks C. These are arranged so as to leave numerous interstices
between them, forming passages for the downward flow of gases and fluid,
the latter being supplied from a cistern above; they are supported on a
perforated brick arch D; E is a tube for conducting gases from the
calcining or smelting furnaces to the condensing apparatus. It is desirable
that this tube should be as long as can be conveniently arranged and
exposed to the air so as to provide for cooling the gases before they enter
the condensing apparatus. The gases entering the condensing apparatus
through the tube E percolate through the interstices existing between the
bricks C, and are continually and repeatedly brought into contact with
the moistened bricks C, and after such percolation the residual gases are
conducted through the flue F to a chimney, and the liquid passes through
the tube G into a receiver K. H is a cistern supplied with water through
a ball cock L; I, I, I, are a number of pipes for delivering fluid from the
cistern H into the condensing apparatus, which after moistening the
surfaces of the bricks contained therein during its passage becomes col-
lected in the receiver K and is returned into the cistern H by the action

page_text: of a force pump. During the passage of the fluid through the condensing
apparatus it absorbs sulphuric acid, and the same fluid is continually
passed through until it becomes sufficiently impregnated with this
acid to have a commerical value. As a supplementary process to that
described while the residual gases pass into the chimney I cause a
large quantity of atmospherical air to be drawn or impelled into such
chimney so as to become well mingled with the residual gases, and
thereby to reduce the proportionate quantity of sulphur gases contained
in the mixed gases (as these escape from the chimney) to a smaller
proportionate quantity of sulphur gases than is contained in smoke
produced by the combustion of ordinary coal. I can also effect the
dilution of copper smoke and render it comparatively innocuous by
simply allowing atmospheric air to be drawn or injected into the
chimney either by the draft of the chimney or by this draft increased
by the action of a jet or jets of steam, but I prefer to effect such
dilution by impelling air into the chimney by the use of a centrifugal
fan or other blowing machine. And I prefer to introduce such air
through a number of pipes at the lower part of the chimney, the exit
of such pipes being in a vertical position delivering upwards, and thus
assisting the draft of the chimney.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be carried into effect,
I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention (secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent), the treating
of gases evolved during the process of smelting copper ores in the
manner and for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gossage, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILL. GOSSAGE. (L.S.)