Improvements in Electric Furnaces.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
Date of
pplication,
7000
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Furnaces.
'I, EDGAR FIELD PRICE, of No. 102, Niagara Street, Niagara Falls, in the State
of New York, United States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to decompose the ore or other material or melt the
same under an electric current, the decomposed or melted material being caused to
pass or run away off the hearth, which is set at an inclination but capable of adjust-
ment to a greater or less degree, according to the material operated upon, so that the
electric treatment can be substantially continuous.
With this object in view, the inclined hearth is made of a conductor, such as a slab
of carbon, and one or more electrodes are supported above it, the electrodes usually
being bars or rods of carbon, one conductor being connected to the carbon electrodes
and the other to the hearth or slab of the furnace.
A hopper is provided above the hearth and around or over the carbon electrodes,
and the material to be acted upon (usually in a pulverized condition) is supplied
to the hopper and passes down around the carbons and is subjected to the action
of the electric arc whereby the melting, decomposing, or changing such material,
is effected, after which the product passes off at the lower end of the hearth.
To lessen the risk of the pulverized material becoming so hot around the upper
electrodes or carbons that the particles will adhere together and not pass down
regularly to the point of treatment, I introduce hollow cases near the carbons or
electrodes. These cases usually form the bottom of the hopper, and a liquid, such as
water, is caused to circulate through them to reduce the temperature of the material
within and above them, so that the said material may pass down into the electric
arc or place of treatment between the carbons and the hearth.
The carbon's or electrodes are suspended by suitable adjusting devices, so that
each carbon can be lowered as it may be consumed to bring the lower end into
proper proximity to the hearth, and the electric circuits passing to the respective
carbons may be provided with a volt meter or other apparatus for indicating the
current passing, so that the adjustment of the electrodes may be effected to ensure
uniformity, or nearly so, in the action of the current between the respective carbons
and the hearth.
The hearth is pivoted so as to be properly supported, and at the same time to allow
for the adjustment of its inclination; the material treated passing into a suitable
vessel or receiver from the end of the hearth..
Around the cases and below the hopper, are openings forming flues for gases
to pass away, and these are led either to a chimney, or to a chamber in which
any solid materials or bye products may be received.
It is to be understood that the hearth should be provided with a suitable bed
plate beneath it, and brickwork or other enclosing materials surround the flues
and support the hopper. The adjustment of the electrodes can be effected by
screws or other devices, connected with a suspending beam, or other support.
Dated this 1st day of December 1896.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 54, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Electric Furnaces.
I, EDGAR FIELD PRICE, of No. 102 Niagara Street, Niagara Falls, in the State of
New York, United States of America, Electrician, 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 the present invention is to decompose the ore or other material, or
melt the same under an electric current, and the material decomposed or melted is
caused to pass or run away off the hearth which is set at an inclination, and it is to be
adjusted to greater or less inclination according to the material operated upon, so
that the electric treatment can be substantially continuous.
With this object in view, the inclined hearth is made of a conductor such as a siab
of carbon, and one or more electrodes are supported above such hearth, such
electrodes usually being bars or rods of carbon, one conductor being connected to the
carbon electrodes and the other to the hearth or slab of the furnace.
A hopper is formed above the hearth and around or over the carbon electrodes,
and the material to be acted upon, usually in a pulverized condition, is supplied
into the hopper and passes down around the carbons and is subjected to the action
of the electric action for melting, decomposing or changing such material, and then
the product passes off at the lower end of the hearth.
There is a risk of the pulverized material becoming sufficiently hot around the
upper electrodes or carbons, for the particles to adhere together and not pass down
regularly to the point of treatment. To lessen this risk hollow cases are introduced
near the carbons or electrodes and usually forming the bottom of the hopper, and
a liquid, such as water, is caused to circulate through such cases to lessen the
temperature of the material within and above such cases, so that the same may
pass down into the electric are or place of treatment between the carbons and the
hearth.
The carbons or electrodes are suspended by suitable adjusting devices, so that
each carbon can be lowered as it may be consumed, to bring the lower end into
proper proximity to the hearth; and the electric circuits passing to the respective
carbons may be provided with a volt meter or other indicator of the current passing,
so that the adjustment of the electrodes may be effected to ensure uniformity or nearly
so, in the action of the current between the respective carbons and the hearth.
The hearth is pivoted so as to be properly supported and at the same time to
allow for the adjustment of the inclination of such hearth, and the material treated
passes into a suitable vessel or receiver from one end of the hearth..
Around the cases and below the hopper are openings forming flues for gases to
pass away, and these are led either to a chimney or to a chamber in which any solid
materials or bi-products may be received.
It is to be understood that the hearth should be provided with a suitable bed
plate beneath it, and brickwork or other enclosing materials surround the flues and
support the hopper. The adjustment of the electrodes can be effected by screws or
other devices connected with a suspending beam or other support.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a cross section at a, a, Fig. 1, through the smelting portion of the furnace.
Fig. 3 is a cross section at y, y, Fig. 1, showing the mechanism for supporting
the furnace and varying the inclination of the bottom or hearth, and
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan at the line z, z, Fig. 1.
The furnace is made with side walls 4 resting upon a bottom plate 1, and there
is a hearth or bottom 2 preferably of cunhan
11

page_text: usually advantageous to employ slabs of carbon at the sides of the furnace, as
shown at 3, and upon the upper portions of the walls 4, a suitable bin or hopper 30
is provided; and I remark that the size and shape of the furnace walls and the hopper
may vary according to the character of the material to be operated upon, and the-
number of the electrodes may also vary according to the size of the furnace."
I have shown electrodes 5 which are advantageously of carbon and placed vertically,.
and each electrode is provided with a holder or clip 16 that permanently connects the
carbon electrode to the conductor, which is advantageously formed of a rod 19
screw threaded and passing through the supports 21 upon a beam 28, there being
a hand wheel and nut 20 by which to raise or lower the electrode to bring the lower
end of such electro le into proper proximity to the hearth or floor 2 of the furnace;
and remark that the conductors from the dynamo are to be connected to the
heads 40 of the rods 19 in any desired manner, and by channeling the rods 19
longitudinally and providing the guides 22 with projecting keys entering such slots
or channels, the screws 19 are held from rotating by the action of the hand wheels
and nuts 20.
The furnace bottom plate 1 is pivoted to a suitable support; I have represented
the pivotal bar 36 as passing through lags upon the bottom plate 1, such bar 36
resting upon suitable bearings 34 upon a foundation or supports 35; and the beam
28 is shown as connected with the furnace by the slings or rods 41 that pass
through the lugs 25 that project from the bottom plate 1 and are connected thereto
by suitable nuts, and these rods 41 pass up in the form of a yoke to the beam 28,
and by means of an eye 27, yoke and screw rod 46 through a beam or permanent
support, the back end of the furnace can be raised or lowered bo lily by the nuts
on the screw rod 46 so as to incline the bottom of the furnace to a greater or less
extent to cause the melted material to flow with sufficient freedom to run off the
hearth or bottom of the furnace into a suitable receptacle 10, which receptacle 10 can be
pressed tightly up against the underside of the plate 1 by a wedge 29 or other
suitable device, so as to exclude atmosphere as far as possible. The screw 46 may
be placed below the back end of the bottom plate 1 to raise or lower this end and
vary the inclination of the hearth.
It will be understood that the material to be acted upon, as shown at A, is intro-
duced in a pulverulent condition into the hopper 30 and it settles down around the
electrodes 5 and rests upon the .hearth or bottom 2 of the furnace; and I find it
advantageous to make use of the hollow cases 6 which surround or pass along the sides
of the electrodes adjacent to the bottom and inner edges of the hopper, and these
hollow cases 6 are advantageously kept cool by water circulating through the same
from the pipe 31, the discharge being through the pipe 33, and between these cases 6
and electrodes 5 there are spaces sufficient for the pulverulent material to subside
around the electrodes, and the upper parts of the cases 6 are sometimes connected
together, as shown in Fig. 1, so that there are spaces 7 between one case and the
next; which spaces form flues for the gases or other volatile materials to pass away,
and these spaces 7 open into longitudinal flues 17 leading to any suitable chamber 41
in which useful bi-products may be condensed, or such vapors may pass by a
chimney 13.
It will now be understood that the pulverulent materials will be subject to the action
of the electric are between the electrodes 5 and the hearth or bottom 2 of the furnace,
and such materials will be melted or decomposed by the electric action. or re-combined
according to the character of the materials under treatment, and that the metal or
other material that is fused or reduced upon the hearth 2 will pass or run along such
hearth in consequence of the inclination until it finally escapes from the end of the
hearth into the receptacle 10, and there is ample opportunity for gases to escape by
the Hues 17, and the materials within the hopper are kept in a comparatively cool
condition until they pass down between the cases 6; hence but a small quantity of the
material is under treatment at one time, but the furnace is capable of extension
substantially indefinitely, so that its capacity may be increased and the electric arcs
are constantly, acting upon fresh untreated inaterial as the changed material passes

page_text: off the hearth. Either electrodes can be replaced when so desired without necessarily
arresting the action. of the others.
This furnace is adapted to the reduction of refractory metallic and non-
metallic oxides and alloys of the same, and for the production of metallic and
alkaline earthy carbides by electric smelting and for other purposes in electric
smelting and by keeping the casings full of the material to be acted upon, the
atmosphere is excluded as much as possible from the electrodes to prevent them
from burning away, and at the same time the gases resulting from the reduction
of the materials under treatment, together with such portions of the compounds as
may escape, pass. by the flues to the condensing or depositing chamber 41 for the
collection or condensation, or both, of such materials, and the vent pipe or chimney
allows for the escape of surplus gases.
The operations performed in this furnace may be substantially continuous to
avoid the expense of stopping and starting the furnace, because the materials
can be supplied and the hopper kept sufficiently full for such materials to descend
by gravity, and it is advantageous to employ an ammeter in the circuit to each of
the electrodes. so that a uniform or nearly uniform current can be passed through
each electrode, the regulation of the current being effected by raising or lowering
the electrode and thereby increasing or decreasing the resistance, and the furnace
can be kept in operation until the electrodes are consumed, or nearly so.
It will be apparent that in order to avail of gravity in feeding the materials from
the hopper, the electrodes should be substantially vertical, but the entire furnace can
be swung upon its pivot to any desired inclination, or constructed with the electrodes
at any desired inclination, or even horizontal or nearly so, according to the material
acted upon, without substantially departing from the subject matter of the present
invention. The conductors of opposite polarity to those that are connected to the
electrodes 5 are connected to the bottom plate 1, as at 42.
It will be seen in Fig. 1 that the end electrode in the range is closely adjacent to
the edge of the hearth over which the material is delivered; and there is not any
material fed around such electrode, hence the material passing from around the other
electrodes cannot escape from the edge of the inclined hearth without passing closely
adjacent to this electrode so as to he acted upon and brought into the proper condition
before running off to the receptacle 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. The combination in a furnace of a conducting hearth forming one electrode,
a range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to the hearth and means for adjusting
the electrodes and regulating the currents, a supply hopper for the material to pass
down around the electrodes, and means for varying the inclination of the hearth and
the movement of the material thereon as it passes from one electrode to another,
substantially as specified.
Second. The combination with a furnace having an inclined bottom or hearth, of a
range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to such bottom, means for supporting
and adjusting the electrodes towards or from the hearth and means for supplying the
material to be acted upon around such electrodes, and casings around the electrodes,
there being spaces between such casing and the electrodes for the passage of the
material acted upon, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with a furnace having an inclined bottom or hearth, of a
range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to such bottom, means for supporting
and adjusting the electrodes towards or from the bearth, means for supplying the
material to be acted upon around such electrodes, a hollow casing adjacent to such
electrodes and means for supplying a circulating fluid through such hollow casings to
regulate the temperature thereof, there being spaces between the electrodes and
the casings for the passage of the material to be acted upon, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: Fourth. The combination with an inclined hearth of a range of electrodes over such
hearth and electric connections to the hearth and to the electrodes and means for
supplying the material to be treated around the electrodes in the range, except the
one adjacent to the place of delivery from the hearth, so that the inaterials cannot
pass off the hearth without being subjected to the electric operation, substantially as.
specified.
Fifth. The combination in an electric furnace of a hearth or bottom forming one.
electrode, a range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to the bottom, casings.
around the respective electrodes and a hopper with which such casings are connected,
there being spaces between the casings and the electrodes for the passage of the
material acted upon, substantially as specified.
Sixth. The combination in an electric furnace, of a hearth or bottom forming one.
electrode, a range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to the bottom. casings.
around the respective electrodes and a hopper with which such casings are connected,
there being spaces between the casings and the electrodes for the passage of the
material acted upon, the casings being provided with openings forming flues, and flues.
into which the escaping gases or other materials pass and a chamber to which they
are led, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination in an electric furnace, of a hearth or bottom forming
one electrode, a range of electrodes substantially perpendicular to the bottom,
casings around the respective electrodes and a hopper with which such casings are
connected, there being spaces between the casings and the electrodes for the
passage of the material acted upon, a pivotal support for the furnace and
means for adjusting the inclination of the bottom or hearth, substantially as set.
forth.
Eighth. The combination in an electric furnace, of a bottom or hearth, a pivoted
plate for supporting the same, side walls and a hopper for the material to be acted
upon, an electrode and means for adjusting the proximity of the end of the same to
the bottom of the hearth, a casing surrounding the electrode, there being a space
between the casing and the electrode for the material in the hopper to pass down to.
the hearth, supporting rods and a screw for adjusting the furnace upon its pivotal
support and varying the inclination of the hearth, and a removable pot for receiving
the product froin the furnace, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination in an electric furnace, with a conductor forming the
furnace hearth from which the changed material is allowed to pass off by gravity, of
an adjustable electrode above the hearth, a supply hopper from which the material to
be treated descends around the upper electrode and a lateral escape for the gases to
prevent them ascending through the material under treatment, substantially as.
specified.
Dated this L7
day of Maren Toy
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5^ Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.