IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING HEAT, AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING HEAT, AND THE
APPLICATION THEREOF TO METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS."-A communication
from abroad by William Elmer, M.D., residing at the City of New York,
Tinited States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 25th October 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1582.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton; in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING HEAT, AND THE
APPLICATION THEREOF TO METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS," (that the same has been
communicated to me from abroad by William Elmer, M.D., a person resident
at the City of New York, United States of America,) and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
The improvements which constitute the subject-matter of this Patent may
be divided into two principal divisions, the first relating to the production and

page_text: method of burning the gases, and the second to the application of the gases
to metallurgical operations, and each of these principal divisions is composed
of parts or subdivisions.
It has long been known that a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases in
the proportions in which they are combined in water (two volumes of the
former to one of the latter) will when burnt produce an intense heat, but two
obstacles have hitherto prevented the burning of this mixture for general
purposes. The first of these obstacles has been the want of an economical
method of producing the gases for use, and the second obstacle has arisen
from the tendency of the mixture to explode when burned in a jet or
otherwise.
The object of the first division of my Invention is to obviate both of these
obstacles. To this end the first part of the first division of the Invention
consists of the process of producing a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases
by subjecting highly heated steam to the action of highly heated platinum or
it's equivalent. In fact, I have discovered that if platinum and certain other
metals be heated to a high temperature, say, about 3300° Fahrenheit, and
steam previously heated, say, to a temperature of about 2000° Fahrenheit be
brought in contactwith the heated platinum (or its equivalent), a decomposition
of the steam into its elementary gaseous constituents, hydrogen and oxygen,
takes place without apparent loss of either constituent or change of the
platinum, and the mixed gases may be collected and stored for use.
The second part of the first division of the Invention consists of the process
of burning the hydrogen and oxygen obtained as aforesaid by mixing them
previous to burning with another gaseous substance that renders the mixture
inexplosive, and the gaseous substance which I prefer to employ for the
purpose is the mixture of carbonic oxide and hydrogen obtained by de-
composing highly heated steam by incandescent carbon. This part of the
Invention is based upon the discovery made by me that when a gaseous
mixture of hydrogen and oxygen (in the proportions in which they combiné
to form water) is mixed with an equal volume of the gaseous mixture of
carbonic oxide and hydrogen produced by decomposing steam as aforesaid, the
product may be burnt without danger of explosion, and the heat produced is
of an intensity nearly as great, , if not greater, than that produced by hydrogen
and oxygen when brought together at the point where burning is effected.
In order to practice the first division of the Invention I prefer to make use
of retorts similar in form to those used for the manufacture of illuminating
gas, and set in a similar manner in a furnace. The retorts must be made of
a material capable of sustaining a high temperature, a suitable material for

page_text: the purpose being that of which blacklead crucibles are formed. Two of
these retorts may be used for producing the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen,
and they should be connected by a pipe, so that the steam highly heated in
one may pass into the other. In one of these retorts, which for distinction
may be called the decomposing retort, platinum foil or wire is placed in such
manner as to partially fill the retort, and afford a large surface for the steam,
to come in contact with, the other retort which may be called the heating
retort, may be partially filled with fragments of the fire-bricks or other
réfractory material affording a large heating surface. The heating retort is,
connected (at the end furthest from the connecting pipe) with a steam boiler
by means of a pipe, and the decomposing retort is connected (at the end
furthest from the connecting pipe) with a gas holder by means of a pipe. The
steam pipe should be provided with a stop-cock or a valve to regulate the
supply. The retorts are highly heated, thedecomposingretort toatemperature,
of about 3300° Fahrenheit, and the heating retort to a temperature of about
2000° Fahrenheit; then steam is permitted to flow into the heating retort,
and thence through the connecting pipe into the decomposing retort. The
steam so flowing is first highly heated, and is then decomposed by contact
with the highly heated platinum into gaseous constituents, hydrogen and
oxygen, and the current of steam entering at one end of the decomposing.
retort causes the mixed gases to pass out of the other end thereof to the gas
holder. In conducting this process care should be taken to regulate the flow
of steam so that while a sufficient quantity is admitted to force the gases out
of the decomposing retort as fast as they are generated, and to cause steam.
to be present therein in slight excess, too much is not supplied; if too much
be supplied the temperature of the platinum is lowered, so that the de-
composition stops, and if less be supplied than the platinum is capable of
decomposing an explosion mayoccurfrom the re-combination of the hydrogen:
and oxygen to form water. In practice the supply should be regulated by:
the stop-cock in the steam pipe, so as to permit the largest possible quantity
to pass without lowering the temperature of the platinum below the decom-
posing point, the valve being partially closed if the temperature lowers, and
opened further if the temperature of the platinum rises. By this system steam,
in slight excess is always present in the decomposing retort, and its presence:
prevents the chance of an explosion. The excess of steam passes off with.
the gases, and condenses in the pipes leading to the gas holder. In order that
the operator may know how to regulate-the flow of steam a part of the pipe
-leading from the decomposing retort to the gas-holder may be passed through
a vessel of water, so as to form a condenser, which will condense the,

page_text: undecomposed steam that may pass off with the gases. An inverted syphon
pipe may be applied to this condenser to permit the escape of the condensed
water in sight of the operator, who can then regulate the flow of steam
according to the escape of this water. The flow of steam should be sö
regulated that the escape of water takes place in drops, more steam being
admitted if the dripping decreases in rapidity, and less if it increases.
Having obtained the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, the next operation
is to prepare the mixture of carbonic oxide and hydrogen, which may be
effected in the following manner.:-Two retorts and their appurtenances
similar to those herein-before described may be used for the purpose, but
instead of placing platinum or its equivalent in the decomposing retort it is
filled loosely with charcoal or anthracite coal. The retorts are heated to a
high temperature, so that the coal in the decomposing retort is incandescent,
and that steam passed through the heating retort will be heated to a ten-
pérature of about 2000° Fahrenheit. Steam is then permitted to flow first
through the heating retort, and thence into the decomposing retort. When
the steam is highly heated, as above stated, the products of its decomposition
by the coal are almost exclusively hydrogen and carbonic oxide. The mixture
of these two gases is received into a gas holder. In conducting this operation
the supply of steam should be regulated so that so much is not admitted as
would lower the temperature of the incandescent carbonaceous matter below
the decomposing point. When the gaseous mixture so obtained, and that
obtained by the operation previously described, have cooled down to about
the temperature of the atmosphere the two are mixed in a gas holder in the
proportion of equal volumes, and the gaseous product is then ready for
burning. The burning may be effected by means of any suitable apparatus.
The mixture of the gases may, for example, be permitted to issue in jets from
burners similar to the ordinary burners used for illuminating gas, or it may be
admitted into a box having a perforated top, which is covered with caustic
lime in a granular state, in which case the mixture issuing from the lime may
be fired, and will produce a bed of flame; or the mixture may be conducted
by pipes into furnaces for performing metallurgical or other operations, and
burnt there. Instead of collecting the gaseous product of each operation in
a separate gas holder and then mixing the two, they may be cooled as they
pass from the retorts by a water or air condenser, and admitted at once into
the same gas holder. In this case the product of each operation should be
passed separately through a meter, so as to measure the volume entering the
gas holder, and the production of the products of the decomposition. of the
water by carbon should be regulated so as to deliver the same average volume

page_text: into the gas holder as the average volume of the mixture of hydrogen and
oxygen delivered therein.
Having thus described the first part of the Invention, and the best mode
of practising it which I have thus far devised, I declare that I do not restrict
the Invention to the construction of the apparatus which I have described for
practising it,as the apparatus may be varied without changing the character
or principle of the process worked out by its aid; nor is the Invention
restricted to the use of platinum in the decomposing retort, as I have dis-
covered that certain other metals produce the same effect in the same manner,
under the same circumstances, and are therefore the equivalents of platinum
for the purposes ofthis Invention. The metals which I have thus successfully
used for equivalents for platinum are palladium, iridium, and gold; nor is the
Invention limited to the mixture of the gaseous product of the decomposition
of water by highly heated platinum(or its equivalent) with thegaseous product
of the decomposition of water by incandescent carbon in equal volumes
previous to burning, as the proportions in which the two gaseous products are
mixed may be varied as found expedient.
What I claim, under the first division of my Invention, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is the process of obtaining hydrogen and oxygen by sub-
jecting highly heated steam to the action of highly heated platinum or its
equivalent, substantially as above set forth.
I also claim the process of burning the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen
gases by mixing it previous to burning with the products ofthe decomposition
of water by in candescent carbon or other gaseous substances that will prevent
explosion during burning, substantially as above set forth.
The object of the second division of the Invention is principally to separate
the metals from the ores with which they are found combined in nature either
for the purpose of assaying them (by which I mean the ascertaining the
respective quantities of metals contained in the ores), or for the purpose of
obtaining the metals on a large scale for manufacturing or other purposes.
To this end this second division of the Invention comprises acompleteprocess
(for treating the ores of the metals) consisting of certain operations, some of
which being capable of use without others constitute subordinate processes
which form parts of the Invention.
The complete process which constitutes the first part of the second division
of the Invention consists substantially of three operations, which are, first, tho
oxidation of metallic ores by treating them while hot with a gascouss.ubstance
that supplies oxygen to them; second; the reduction of the oxides by treating
the oxidizedores while hot with a gaseous substance that has a higher affinity

page_text: for oxygen (while hot) than the metals whose oxides are to be reduced have
and which therefore eliminates their combined oxygen; third, the fusion of
the metals by treating the reduced ores while hot with a gaseous substance
which from its higher affinity for oxygen than the metals to be reduced is
incapable of oxidizing them, which three operations when performed succes-
sively in the above order upon the material to be treated constitute one entire
process.
.
•
The second part of the second division of the Invention consists of the
process composed of two operations, which are, first, the reduction of metallic
oxides by treating them (either when in the form of ores or when separated
from earthy matter) while hot with a gaseous substance that (while hot) has a
higher affinity for oxygen than the metals to be reduced have, and which
therefore eliminates the combined oxygen from them; second, the fusion of
the reduced oxides (whether mixed with earthy matter or not) by treating
them while hot with a gaseous substance that from its higher affinity for
oxygen than the metals to be reduced is incapable of oxidizing them. These
two operations when performed successively in the above order constituting
one entire process.
The third part of the second division of the Invention consists of the
process of separating the metals from each other by treating their mixtures
(whether combined with earthy matter or not)at progressively increasedtem-
peratures with a gaseous substance that has a higher affinity for oxygen than
the metals, so that the metals are fused in a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the
order of their respective fusing temperatures, and may be withdrawn seriatim
from the mass under treatment.
This second division of the Invention may be conveniently practised in a
furnace, such as is represented in the accompanying Drawing; this furnace
has a chamber A for the materials to be treated; a fire-box B for the pro-
duction of heat by burning fuel a helical flue C surrounding the chamber A
for heating the chamber by the products of combustion and a chimney D.
The fire-box is provided with the customary appurtenances,such as ash-pit E,
grate-bars F, fire-door and ash-pit door,and the combustion of fuel in it may
be excited either by the draught produced by a high chimney, or by a fan or
cylinder blast, or by both means. The chimney should be provided with a
damper to regulate the draught, and if a blast be used the blast pipe should
be provided with a valve or register to regulate its intensity, so that the
operator may have the heat of the furnace under control. The heights of the
chamber A should not be less than four times its diameter, but this proportion
may be varied as found expedient; it should be constructed of refractory

page_text: naterials, such, for example, as the best fire-bricks, or of bricks made of the
At its bottom a
material used in manufacturing blacklead crucibles.
upper surface
apping hole m is provided to let out the liquid matter, and the
of the bottom should be inclined towards this tapping hole. The lower
portion of the chamber, which may be termed the crucible, is perforated to
admit tuyeres n, by which the gaseous materials are introduced, and these
tüyeres should be formed of refractory material. The crucible of the furnace
should also be coated with enamel of vitrified earthy matter, but as such
enamelling is produced by the smelting of the first charge of ore, the appli-
cation of an enamel before the furnace is first used is not a matter of necessity.
I prefer to reduce the ores to be treated to the condition of powder, which
may be done by the mechanical appliances in common use for the purpose,
such as stamps and crushing and grinding mills of various constructions. The
gaseous substance which I prefer to employ for the oxidation of the metals is
atmospheric air which contains oxygen in mixture with other gases which do
hot practicallychange its action upon metallic substances, so that the oxygen
is practically as free to combine with the metals as if it were used unmixed
with the other gases. The gaseous substance which I prefer to employ for
the reduction of the metallic oxides to the metallic state is the mixture of
Hydrogen and carbonic oxide obtained by the action of incandescent carbon
upon highly heated steam, and I prefer to obtain this mixture in the manner
described under the first division of the Invention, by causing steam pre-
viously heated to a temperature of about 2000° Fahrenheit to flow into a
retort containing charcoal or anthracite coal heated to a white heat. The
gaseous substance which I prefer to use for the ultimate fusion of the more
refractory metals is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen (obtained by the action
of highly heated platinum or its equivalent upon highly heated steam, aș
described under the first division of the Invention) with an equal volume of
the products of the decomposition of highly heated steam by incandescent
carbon (as described under the first division of the Invention). The hydrogen
and oxygen may, however, be obtained separately by any of the modes known
tö chemists, and may then be mixed. The gases for reduction and fusion
should be stored for use in gas holders similar to those used for holding
illuminating gas, and suitable pipes fitted with valves or stop-cocks should be
provided to conduct them to the tuyeres of the furnace. The atmospheric air
may be forced into the tuyeres by means of a blowing engine, and the other
gases may be forced in by the same apparatus if the pressure obtained by
weighting the floating chamber of the gas holder be insufficient for the
s have been prepared.the complete process may be
purpose. When the gases

page_text: successfully practised in the followingmanner, supposing goldor silver bearing
quartz to be the material to be operated upon :-The bottom of the furnace
chamber should be covered to a depth of about six inches with quicklime in
fragments (sifted clear of powder) so as to form a species of drain for the
fluid metals to the tapping hole,and the materials previously reduced to a fine
powder should be charged into the chamber. The furnace is brought to a
red heat by burning fuel in the fire-chamber; then atmospheric air is forced
into the tuyeres and the heat is progressively raised. The effect of this
operation is to drive off the more volatile substances, such as the sulphur and
arsenic, to burn out such carbonaceous matter or other matter as is capable
of combustion at a red heat, and to oxidize such metals as are capable of
oxidation under such circumstances. When the oxidation is completed
(which can be determined for each kind of ore by practice) the air is shut off
from the chamber, and the second operation is performed by causing the
reducing gaseous substance to pass into the chamber through the tuyeres.
The effect of this operation is to raise the temperature of the ore under treat-
ment, while the hydrogen combines with the oxygen of the metallic oxides to
form the vapour of water,and the carbonic oxide takes up another equivalent
of oxygen and is converted into carbonic acid gas. Moreover, as the tem-
perature is progressively raised those metals which are present in the ore and
are fusible at the temperature without volatilizing melt in the order of their
fusing points, descend to the bottom of the chamber,and are permitted to flow
out at the tapping hole. When the reduction is completed, which can be
determined for each kind of ore by practice, the flow of the reducing gaseous
substance is stopped, and the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is supplied
through the tuyeres. The flame produced by the burning of this mixture
produces an intense heat which raises the temperature of the ore under treat-
ment without supplying oxygen to the metals, as that gas combines ly
preference with the hydrogen to form the vapour of water, which passing
upwards escapes at the upper end of the chamber. As the heat is thus
progressively raised such of the metals that are present as are volatilized by
the heat pass off at the top of the chamber, and may be collected in con-
densing chambers, to which the fumes may be conducted by pipes, while such
of the metals as sinelt without practical volatilization are melted progressively
in the order of their fusing points, and descending to the bottom and
percolating through the lime flow from the tapping hole, so that each metal
may be collected by itself almost unsoiled with others. Lastly, the silicious
matter which is fused by the intense heat is permitted to flow from the
tapping hole, leaving the chamber empty for a succeeding charge of material.

page_text: In case the subordinate process which constitutes the second part of the
second division of the Invention is to be practised the two operations com-
posing it may be conducted as above described and the materials to beoperated
upon may be these which contain native oxides, or oxides which may have
been formed by roasting the ores in the open air or in the usual roasting
furnaces employed in metallurgical operations. In using this part of the
Invention the gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbonic oxide herein-before
described may be used for reducing the oxides and also for the fusion of the
metals, provided they will melt at the temperature that can be obtained by
the burning of that gaseous mixture. If however, the metals be the more
refractory, such for example, as copper, silver and gold, then the ultimate
fusion should be effected by burning the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen
as above described.
In case the subordinate process which constitutes the third part of the
second division of the Invention is to be practised it may be conducted as
above described upon materials containing the metals to be separated in a
suitable condition for fusing, and the gaseous substance employed for the
ultimate fusion of the refractory metals should be the mixture of hydrogen
and oxygen burned as herein-before described.
From the foregoing description it will be perceived that in the processes
the heating,oxidation, reduction, and fusion of the metals are effected without
mingling fuel with the materials to be treated, and this isoneofthefundamental
features of the second division of the Invention, but it is evident that my
Invention inay be practiced upon materials which contain fuel in some form
inixed with them for the purpose of accomplishing a part of the desired result
effected by the gaseous substances that are supplied to the chamber of the
furnace, or for other purposes, because so long as any portion of the desired
result is accomplished by treating the material while hot with the gaseous
substances as herein-before described the Invention is used for that portion.
Having thus described the second division of the Invention, and the best
mole of practising it, which I have thus far devised, I declare that I do not
restrict it to the use of a particular furnace or other means used, nor to the
mode of preparing the gaseous substances employed, nor to the particular
gaseous substances I have described, all that is essential being that the
gaseous substances used shall have those properties of the gaseous substances
described which are useful for the purposes to be accomplished, or in other
words shall be the substantial equivalents of those described for the said
purposes,which I claim under the second division-of-the-Invention and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is, the process of treating metallic ores or

page_text: other materials containing metals by the following three operations
performed successively upon them, viz.,-
First, the oxidation of the oxidizable substances by treating the material
while hot with a gaseous substance that supplies oxygen to them.
Second, the reduction of the oxides by treating the oxidized ores while
hot with a gaseous substance that has a higher affinity for oxygen than the
metals whose oxides are to be reduced.
Third, the fusion of the metals by treating the reduced ores while hot with
agascous substance that is incapable of oxidizing them. These three operations
being performed in the order and substantially as herein-before set forth.
I also claim the process of treating metallic ores and other materials
containing metals by the following two operations performed successively
upon them, viz.,-
First, the reduction of the metallic oxides by treating the material while
hot with a gaseous substance that has a higher affinity for oxygen than the
metals to be reduced have.
Second, the fusion of the metals by treating the reduced ores while hot
with a gaseous substance that is incapable of oxidizing them. These two
operations being performed in the order and substantially as herein-before
set forth.
I also claim the process of separating the metals from each other by
treating their mixtures at progressively increased temperatures with a
gaseous substance that has a higher affinity for oxygen than the metals have,
so the metals are fused in a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the order of their
fusing temperatures, the process being conducted substantially as herein-
before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.s.)