Improvements in and Appertaining to the Manufacture of Metals or Metallic Alloys by Means of Electricity.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to the Manufacture of Metals or
Metallic Alloys by Means of Electricity.
A communication from abroad by JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GÉRARD LESCUYER, of 10,
rue de la Station, Courbevoie, Seine, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND M. Inst. M.E. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors 6, Lord Street. Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in the
County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a system of continuous manufacture of metals or
metallic alloys by means of electricity, more especially alloys of aluminium, silicon.
magnesium, etcetera.
It consists essentially in agglomerating the materials necessary for the manufacture
of the alloy or of the metal which it is desired to obtain, in the form of bars so
formed that they can be joined end to end so as to ensure continuity in working,
and in employing these bars as electrodes, the free extremities of which form the
voltaic are and penetrate into a vertical chamber which may be hermetically closed
at its upper part. This chamber is placed over a reverberatory furuace onto which
the molten metallic particles fall, combine, and are refined in a continuous manner.
The invention consists, moreover, in a practical means whereby the bars or
electrodes above mentioned can be joined together; and be caused to advance pro-
gressively in proportion as they become used during the operation.
In order that the new method may be easily understood, the manufacture of
aluminium bronze will be taken as an example, the same means, however, being
applicable in the case of many other metals.
For manufacturing aluminium bronze, a mixture composed of powdered copper,
100 parts-calcined alumina. 50 parts-powdered charcoal, 20 parts, is employed.
Those pulverulent materials after having been suitably moistened and intimately
mixed with any cement suitable for agglomerating them, such as sugary materials,
resin, tar, etcetera, are then moulded in a press, or are drawn or rolled in the form
of bars or cylinders of a size and length partly dependent on whether they are dried
in the open air or in a stove.
Both extremities of these bars or cylinders are then pierced with a hole in which
a screw thread is formed, and in one of the threaded holes in each bar is placed a
tenon formed of a short tube of ibin copper which has threads produced by suitable
means, corresponding to those in the holes of the bars. These tenons are filled with
the paste described above, but the amount of copper in the paste uay, of course, be
reduced in proportion to the weight of the tubes or tenons.
Hollow cylinders could also be obtained by drawing or moulding, and their
extremities would be threaded, the central part being afterwards filled with paste the
same as that which has served to form them.
Or finally the extremities of the bars could be threaded on their exterior, and a
copper sleeve be employed to unite them.
These bars thus furnished with their gudgeon or sleeve, are finally annealed out
of contact with air, in order to give them sufficient solidity and electrical conductivity.
The apparatus employed in carrying out the system has in its upper part a voltaic
furnace or chamber as aforesaid, closed by a cover, which chamber is pierced with
lateral openings to receive the electrodes. A packing of amianthus or its equivalent
prevents escape of gas from around the electrodes. A lens may be provided which
allows the are to be projected on to a screen so that the progress of the operation can
be followed.

page_text: At the lower part of the voltaic furnace or chamber is arranged a tube, which places
the said chamber in communication with the reverberatory furnace below, and a
conduit above the grate of this furnace allows for drawing off the oxide of carbon
arising from the combustion of the electrodes, which can be utilised for heating the
furnace.
The reverberatory furnace is furnished with a working door, and the products of
combustion travel through a tuyère into a heat regenerator. In order to advance the
electrodes, there is at each side of the furnace a kind of double parallel guide-bed
furnished with two channels in which two carriages slide, being traversed by two
screws. These screws are controlled by two worm wheels which are set in motion by
a common worm, which may be turned by means of a fly wheel or crank.
The carriages are furnished with a movable footboard so that they can be either
engaged with the screws or he made independent of them at will; their upper parts
lean inwards in such manner that the collars which they carry for receiving the
electrodes, are normally in the same axis; moreover, they are furnished with a joint
which permits of turning them transversely in such manner that they can be slid the
entire length of their respective channels, without encountering one another at the
point where they pass.
The apparatus so arranged works in the following manner :-
The electric current preferably produced by a powerful dynamo machine, is brought
to the beds of the carriages, whence it passes to the electrodes and under the
enormous caloric action produced by the voltaicare, the alumina in presence of the
charcoal is reduced, and the aluminium combines with the copper present the molten
alloy falls on the bed of the reverberatory furnace with the scorime which may be
rendered more Huid by projecting on the bed from 1 to 3 per cent. of quick lime.
This quantity of lime may be also introduced into the paste of the electrodes, if
desired.
In proportion as the bars become used, they may be brought together by means
of the worms. This could be effected automatically, if preferred.
When the carriages are at or near the end of their travel a new bar is taken, which
is tightly screwed into or fastened to the preceding one. Its extremity is fastened in
the collar of the second carriage, and this carriage is now engaged with the screw,
and at the same time the first carriage is detached, disengaged, turned down, and
drawn behind, into position ready to receive a fresh bar when requisite.
From this description the continuity of this system is evident. The practical and
easy renewal of the electrodes which may be unceasingly in use, forms one of the
principal and characteristic points of the invention.
When the quantity of metal produced is judged to be sufficient, the tapping may
he effected without for an instant interrupting the manufacture in the voltaic furnace,
as has been above described. A similar result can be obtained by gathering the
metal or the alloy obtained in a crucible placed on the bed of the reverberatory
.furnace.
When in place of the aluminium alloy, it is desired to obtain this metal at
higher degrees of concentration, the operation then takes place in the following
maner
.
The alloy obtained on the bed of the reverberatory furnace is of about 20 per cent.
standard, while it is in a state of fusion it can be reduced to powder, (by means of
centrifugal force for example), and this powder may then be employed to replace
the copper in the preparation of the paste employed in the manufacture of the
electrodes, consequently under these new circumstances, the alloy obtained will be
much richer in aluminium. These operations could be repeated several times, so as
to obtain the metal with a degree of purity as high as the working of the system will
permit. By reducing the alumina or other earths, as above described, the metal is
obtained in an almost molecular state; it is in order to avoid its reoxidation that
another metal is placed in immediate proximity thereto, with which it will combine at
the moment of its reduction. In the present case the employment of copper has been
mentioned as being preferred, but it will be understood that many other metals may

page_text: be used reduced to powder and incorporated in the paste. This powder can, of course,
be that of the metal which it is desired to obtain.
In the example which has just been described, two bars only are mentioned, but it
will be understood that it is possible to employ a larger number, each of them being
mounted on a movable carriage as has been explained above.
Under such circumstances the arrangements may vary, that is to say the arc may
either be formed between each pair of carbons penetrating into the furnace, or only
between a certain number of them, the others not receiving the current, and their
extremities thus interposed into the are only become subjected to the calorific effects
which it causes.
In this case it is understood that the continuity of the operation is easily maintained,
whilst interrupting the arrival of the current in the partially used bars and before
adapting a new bar at its posterior part.
Finally the arc may be thrown by ordinary carbon electrodes, the extremities of
which would be arranged in the manner indicated above, so as to allow of the jointing
which assures the continuity of the working, the extremities of the other bars being
interposed in the voltaic arc so obtained.
It is to be fully understood that the preceding description is only by way of
example, and that the process of manufacture above described being general can be
applied, as has been said, to obtaining many kinds of metals, notably in cases where
the materials are wanting in the combustibility necessary for ordinary treatment,
and where there is considerable water power at command, in these cases in fact
the system could be advantageously employed even for the manufacture of the
ordinary metals, such as iron, copper, lead, etcetera, etcetera; and the communicator
intends" by all means to also reserve to himself these various applications, more
especially with reference to the formation of the electrodes.
Dated this 28th day of December 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to the Manufacture of Metals or
Metallic Alloys by Means of Electricity.
A communication from abroad by JEAN MARIE ANATOLE GÉRARD LESCUYER, of 10,
rue de la Station, Courbevoie, Seine, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M. Inst. 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, Patent
Agent, 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 reference to a system of continuous manufacture of metals or
metallic alloys by means of electricity, more especially alloys of aluminium, silicon,
magnesium, etcetera.
It consists essentially in agglomerating the materials necessary for the manu-
facture of the alloy or of the metal which it is desired to obtain, in the form of
bars so formed that they can be joined end to end so as to ensure continuity in
working, and in employing these bars as electrodes, the free extremities of which
form the voltaic arc and penetrate into a vertical chainber which may be hermetically
closed at its upper part. This chamber placed over a reverberatory furnace onto
which the molten metallic particles fall, combine, and are refined in a continuous
manner.
The invention consists, moreover, in a practical means whereby the bars or electrodes
above mentioned can be joined together, and be caused to advance progressively. in
proportion as they become used during the operation.

page_text: The accompanying drawings illustrate the arrangement that is employe by
preference for the practical working of the invention. In these,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cylindrical electrode fitted with the
improvements.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of another mode of fixing this electrode.
Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section of the reverberatory furnace and of the
voltaic furnace showing in elevation on its upper part the apparatus that is employed
preferably for producing the progressive advancement of the electrodes and for
allowing the joining of the same.
In order that the new method may be easily understood, the manufacture of aluminium.
bronze will be taken as an example, the same means, however, being applicable in the
case of many other metals.
For manufacturing aluminium bronze, a mixture composed of powdered copper,
100 parts caleined alumina 50 parts-powdered charcoal 20 parts, is employed.
These pulverulent. materials after having been suitably moistened and intimately
mixed with any cement suitable for agglomerating them, such as sugary materials,
resin, tar, etcetera, are then moulded in a press, or are drawn or rolled in the form of
bars or cylinders of a size and length partly dependent on whether they are dried in
the open air or in a stove.
Both extremities of these bars or cylinders are then pierced with a hole in which a
screw thread is formed, and in one of the threaded holes in each bar is placed a tenon
formed of a short tube of thin copper which has threads produced by suitable means,
corresponding to those in the holes of the bars. These tenons are filled with the
paste described above, but the amount of copper in the paste may, of course, be
reduced in proportion to the weight of the tubes or tenons. Figure 1 represents an
electrode arranged in this way.
Hollow cylinders could also be obtained by drawing or moulding, and their
extremities would be threaded, the central part being afterwards filled with paste
the same as that which has served to form them.
Or finally as shown in Figure 2 the extremities of the bars could be threaded on
their exterior, and a copper sleeve be employed to unite them.
These bars thus furnished with their gudgeon or sleeve, are finally annealed
out of contact with air, in order to give them sufficient solidity and electrical
conductivity.
The apparatus shown in Figure 3 employed in carrying out the system has in its
upper part a voltaic furnace or chamber A as aforesaid, closed by a cover B, which
chamber is pierced with lateral openings to receive the electrodes C. A packing
of amianthus D or its equivalent prevents any escape of gas from around the
electrodes. A lens E may be provided which allows the are to be projected on to
a screen so that the progress of the operation can be followed.
At the lower part of the voltaic furnace or chamber A is arranged a tube F
which places the said chamber in communication with the reverberatory furnace
below, and a conduit G above the grate of this furnace allows for drawing off the
oxide of carbon arising from the combustion of the electrodes, which can be utilised
for heating the furnace.
The reverberatory furnace is furnished with a working door E, and the products
of combustion travel through a tuyère K into a heat regenerator. In order to
advance the electrodes, there is at each side of the furnace a kind of double parallel
guide-bed furnished with two channels in which two carriages L L' slide, being
traversed by two screws M. M. These screws are controlled by two worm wheels N
which are set in motion by a common worm 0, which may be turned by means
of a fly wheel or crank.
The carriages L L are furnished with a movable foot-board so that they can be
either engaged with the screws M or be made independent of them at will; their
upper parts lean inwards in such manner that the collars which they carry for
receiving the electrodes 0, are normally in the same axis; moreover they are
furnished with a joint which permits of turning them down transversely in such

page_text: manner that they can be slid the entire length of their respective channels, without
encountering one another at the point where they pass.
The apparatus so arranged works in the following manner :-
The electric current preferably produced by a powerful dynamo machine, is brought
to the beds of the carriages, whence it passes to the clectrodes and under the
enormous caloric action produced by the voltaic are, the alumina in presence of
the charcoal is reduced, and the aluminium combines with the copper present the
molten alloy falls on the bed, of the reverberatory furnace with the scorice which
may be rendered more fluid by projecting on the bed from 1 to 3 per cent. of quick
lime. This quantity of lime may be also introduced into the paste of the electrodes,
if desired.
In proportion as the bars become used. they may be brought together by the
workman by means of the worms 0. This could be effected automatically, if
preferred.
When the carriages L are at or near the end of their travel a new bar is taken,
which is tightly screwed into or fastened to the preceding ono. Its extremity is
fastened in the collar of the second carriage L, and this carriage is now engaged
with the screw M, and at the same time the first carriage L is detached, disengaged,
turned down, and drawn behind into position ready to receive a fresh bar when
requisite.
From this description the continuity of this system is evident. The practical
and easy renewal of the electrodes which may be unceasingly in use, formis one of
the principal and characteristic points of the invention.
When the quantity of metal produced is judged to be sufficient, the tapping.
may be effected without for an instant interrupting the manufacture in the voltaic
furnace, as has been above described. A similar result can be obtained by gathering
the metal or the alloy obtained in a crucible placed on the bed of the reverberatory
furnace.
A
When, in place of the aluminium alloy, it is desired to obtain this metal at
higher degrees of concentration, the operation then takes place in the following
manner -
The alloy obtained on the bed of the reverberatory furnace is of about 20 per cent.
standard, while it is in a state of fusion it can be reduced to powder, (by means of
centrifugal force for example), and this powder may then be employed to replace
the copper in the preparation of the paste employed in the manufacture of the
electrodes, consequently under those new circumstances, the alloy obtained will be
much richer, in aluminium. These operations could be repeated several times, so
as to obtain the metal with a degree of purity as high as the working of the
system will permit. By reducing the alumina or other earths, as above described,
the metal is obtained in an almost molecular state; it is in order to avoid its
reoxidation that another metal is placed in immediate "proximity thereto, with which
it will combine at the moment of its reduction. In the present case the employment
of copper has been mentioned as being preferred, but it will be understood that
many other metals may be used reduced to powder and incorporated in the paste.
This powder cau, of course, be that of the metal which it is desired to obtain.
In the example which has just been described, two bars only are mentioned, but
it will be understood that it is possible to employ a larger number, each of them
being mounted on a movable carriage as has been explained above.
Under such circumstances the arrangements may vary, that is to say, the arc may
either be formed between each pair of carbons penetrating into the furnace A, or
only between a certain number of them, the others not receiving the current, and
their extremities thus interposed into the are only become subjected to the calorific
effects which it causes.
In this case it is understood that the continuity of the operation is easily main-
tained, whilst interrupting the arrival of the current in the partially used bars and
before adapting a new bar at its posterior part.
Finally the arc may be thrown by ordinary carbon electrodes, the extremities of

page_text: which would be arranged in the manner indicated above, so as to allow of the
jointing which assures the continuity of the working, the extremities of the other
bars being interposed in the voltaic are so obtained.
It is to be fully understood that the preceding description is only by way of
example, and that the process of manufacture above described being general can be
applied, as has been said, to obtaining many kinds of metals. notably in cases where
the raw materials are situated at a distance from the fuel necessary for the ordinary
mode of treatment, and where there is considerable water power at command, in
these cases in fact the system could be advantageously employed even for the manu-
facture of the ordinary metals, such as iron, copper, lead, etcetera, etcetera and the
communicator intends by all means to also reserve to himself these various applications
more especially with reference to the formation of the electrodes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the sail invention,
and in what manner the same. is to be performed, as communicated to me by. my
foreign, correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:―
1. In the manufacture of metals or metallic alloys by means of electricity:
a process of continuous manufacture which consists in agglomerating the raw materials,
destined to form the said metals or alloys; in the shape of bars and of employing
these bars as electrodes or as intermediaries between the electrodes in a voltaic
furnace with a view to obtaining the said metals or alloys under the action of a
powerful electric current, substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of metals or metallic alloys, the preparation and employ-
ment of bars or electrodes obtained by the agglomeration of substances necessary
for the production of the said metals or alloys, and having at their extremities rings.
sleeves, or tenons allowing of their being jointed together end to end at the moment
of being utilised substantially as described.
3. In the manufacture of metals and metallic alloys, the combination of bars or
electrodes such as C with a voltaic furnace such as A closed at the top and placed
over a reverberatory furnace, the said electrodes being progressively guided and
advanced in the said voltaic furnace by means of an appropriate mechanism,
substantially as set forth.
4. In the manufacture of metals and metallic alloys, the combination of a
reverberatory furnace such as P. and a voltaic furnace such as A with a mechanical
apparatus suitable for causing the electrodes to move forward progressively and
allowing of their being joined end to end in proportion as they wear away, substantially
as described.
.
5. In the manufacture of metals and metallic alloys, the combination of a voltaic
furnace such as A with a mechanism fitted thereon for moving the electrodes forward,
this mechanism having two parallel screws revolving together and each fitted with a
carriage inclined towards a common axis and, able to be disengaged easily from the
worm which drives it; this carriage having a gripping collar for the electrode
arranged so as to be able to be turned down laterally, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of September 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.