Year: 1896

page_text: I, LOUIS MICHEL BULLIER of 12, Avenue d'Orleans, Paris, France, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an electric furnace for effecting the fusion of matters at
high temperatures the arc being situated in the midst of the mixture from which
the substance required is to be produced, for instance in the mixture of lime and
carbon for the production of carbide of calcium or in more general terms in the
mixture of carbon and the oxide or salt of the metal of which it is desired to obtain
the carbide.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this
specification which shews two types of furnaces for the production of carbide of
calcium applicable also for preparing other carbides obtained by fusion in an
electric furnace.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section and Figure 2 a plan of a series of furnaces
whereof the bottom or sole is horizontal and movable.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a furnace having an inclined sole.
The furnace is preferably of square section, the walls a being built of bricks of
magnesia, lime, carbonate of lime, or other suitable refractory material. The
bottom or sole is made of metal, carbon, or other conducting material; it is
pivoted at c and is supported in position during the reaction by a counterbalance r
and any suitable fastening d. The bottom is connected in any suitable manner
with the negative pole of the source of electricity and constitutes one pole of the
apparatus whereof the other pole is constituted by a carbon electrode e communi-
cating with the positive pole of the source of electricity which electrode is plunged
into the mixture of lime and carbon.
On starting the operation the carbon e is brought close down to the bottom b of
the furnace in order to strike the arc whose heat effects the fusion of the
surrounding mixture. As the reaction proceeds, a cavity fis formed around the
carbon at bottom of which the melted carbide deposits and as the mixture forming
the sides of the cavity enters into the reaction the carbon e is raised and the mass
of carbide progressively increases in volume.
On the completion of the operation the electric circuit is broken when the
furnace will be found to contain a block g of carbide which on lowering the
bottom is together with the material not acted on discharged into a truck
and conveyed to a sifter for separating the carbide of calcium from the unconverted
material.
Each furnace thus constituted may be supplied with material to be treated by
means of a movable spout i connected to a trough so that immediately a furnac

page_text: has been discharged it is only necessary to close the bottom b, lower the carbon
electrode e, recharge the furnace, and recommence the operation. The space
between each furnace and the next may be filled with pulverized magnesia, lime
or carbonate of lime suitably disposed around the walls and forming a sort of
lining. When the furnace bottom is fixed the material contained may be
withdrawn at the termination of the operation by removing one side of the
furnace.
The furnace illustrated in Figure 3 has an inclined bottom b of conductive
material, metal, or carbon for instance, and is in electrical communication with
one pole of the source of electricity (the negative pole for example). The walls
of the furnace would be constructed of bricks of magnesia, lime, or carbonate of
lime, and provided with a lining of the same material, which lining may be
supported either by means of brickwork 1, Figure 3 or by a metallic casing or in
other suitable manner. The cover m which is also of magnesia, lime, or carbonate
of lime, is provided with orifices n for feeding in the matters to be treated and for
the passage of the carbon electrode e connected to the other pole of the source of
electricity. The lower part of this furnace forms a chamber o in which carbide of
calcium is previously placed and with which the carbon electrode e is brought in
contact at starting. The apparatus is provided with a tapping hole p at which the
melted carbide is run off.
It is to be understood that the form, dimensions, and accessory arrangements of
the electric furnace may be varied to suit the purpose for which it is to be applied
without in any way departing from the principle of the invention.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I, LOUIS MICHEL BULLIER of 12, Avenue d'Orleans, Paris, France,
Chemist, 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 relates to an electric furnace for effecting the fusion of matters
at high temperatures, the are being situated in the midst of the mixture from which
the substance required is to be produced, for instance in the mixture of lime and
carbon for the production of carbide of calcium or in more general terms in the
mixture of carbon and the oxide or salt of the metal of which it is desired to obtain
the carbide.
Reference is to be had to the drawing accompanying my Provisional Specification
which shews two types of furnaces for the production of carbide of calcium but
which are applicable also for preparing other carbides obtained by fusion in an
electric furnace.
Figure 1 represents a vertical section and Figure 2 a plan of a series of furnaces
whereof the bottom or sole is horizontal and movable.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a furnace having an inclined sole.
The furnace is preferably of square section, the walls a being built of bricks of
magnesia, lime, carbonate of lime, or other suitable refractory material. The bottom
or sole b is made of metal, carbon, or other conducting material; it is pivoted at c and is
supported in position during the reaction by a counterbalance and any suitable
fastening d. The bottom 6 is connected in any suitable manner with the negative

page_text: pole of the source of electricity and constitutes one pole of the apparatus whereof
the other pole is constituted by a carbon electrode e in connection with the positive
pole of the source of electricity which electrode is plunged into the mixture of
lime and carbon.
On starting the operation the carbon e is brought close down to the bottom b of
the furnace in order to strike the arc whose heat effects the fusion of the surrounding
mixture. As the reaction proceeds, a cavity is formed around the carbon at
bottom of which the melted carbide deposits and as the mixture forming the
sides of the cavity enters into the reaction the carbon e is raised and the mass of
carbide progressively increases in volume.
On the completion of the operation the electric circuit is broken when the
furnace will be found to contain a block g of carbide which on lowering the
bottom bis, together with the material not acted on, discharged into a truck h and
conveyed to a sifter for separating the carbide of calcium from the unconverted
material.
Each furnace thus constituted may be supplied with material to be treated by
means of a movable spout i connected to a trough k so that immediately a furnace
has been discharged it is only necessary to close the bottom 6, lower the carbon
electrode e, recharge the furnace, and recommence the operation.
The space
between each furnace may be filled with pulverized magnesia, lime, or carbonate of
lime suitably disposed around the walls and forming a sort of lining 7. When the
furnace botton is fixed the material contained may be withdrawn at the termination
of the operation by removing one side of the furnace.
The furnace illustrated in Figure 3 has an inclined bottom of conductive
material (metal, or carbon for instance) and is in electrical communication with
one pole of the source of electricity (the negative pole for example). The walls of
the furnace would be constructed of bricks of magnesia, lime, or carbonate of lime,
aud provided with a lining of the same material, which lining may be supported
either by means of brickwork or by a metallic casing or in other suitable manner.
The cover m which is also of magnesia, lime, or carbonate of lime, is provided with
orifices n feeding in the matters to be treated and for the passage of the carbon
electrode e connected to the other pole of the source of electricity. The lower part
of this furnace forms a chamber o in which carbide of calcium is previously placed
and with which the carbon electrode e is brought in contact at starting. The
apparatus is provided with a tapping hole p at which the melted carbide is run off.
It is to be understood that the form, dimensions, and accessory arrangements of
the electric furnace may be varied to suit the purpose for which it is to be applied
without in any way departing from the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein described electric furnace for effecting the fusion of matters at high
temperatures and particularly for producing carbides of the earth metals and alkali
earth metals, the furnace being constructed combined and arranged substantially
as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Deted this 12th day of Anvil 1807
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.