provements in the Manufacture of Aluminium Alloys.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Manufacture of Aluminium Alloys.
I NICOLAS LÉBÉDEFF of 22 Nine Line Vasilly Ostroff, St. Petersburgh in
the Empire of Russia Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to a process enabling aluminium to be extracted in the
form of an alloy from clays and other minerals or products of manufacture such as
the scoria from blast furnaces employed in the treatment of argillaceous ores.
In carrying out my invention I melt clay or other material containing silicate of
alumina in a crucible or reverberatory furnace adding fluor spar, lime or dolomite
as a flux. When dealing with blast furnace scoria for example the flux is not
required. As almost all clays contain iron I subject the molten mass to a reducing
fusion in the first place in order to eliminate this metal.
When the fusion is effected in a plumbago crucible or other similar vessel it is
simply necessary with this object to continue the fusion until all the iron is reduced.
By these means I obtain the metal in a condition in which it can be easily poured
or run out. On the contrary when the fusion takes place in an ordinary reverbera-
tory furnace the iron may be eliminated by arranging a crucible or apparatus
composed of plumbago or equivalent material upon the surface of the bath. For
example one or more inverted plumbago crucibles may be placed on the bath the
free or exposed part of the surface being covered with a layer of carbon. In this
case I obtain spongy iron which I remove from the bath.
When the melted mass of clay or other silicate of alumina presents a clear colour
I introduce into the bath the sulphuret of the metal which is to be alloyed with the
aluminium.
When employing iron pyrites containing two equivalents of sulphur (Fe S³) I
prefer to previously extract the second equivalent of sulphur by distillation a ndto
employ the sulphuret of iron resulting from this operation.
When the metallic sulphuret introduced into the bath has melted, the bath presents
two distinct layers namely, a lower layer containing the sulphurets and an upper
layer formed by the silicates of alumina and the fluxes.
I then subject the metallic sulphuret (lower layer) to desulphuration employing
with this object apparatus composed of plumbago or equivalent material applied as
hereinafter explained.
When the operation is conducted in a plumbago crucible or receptacle it is simply
necessary to maintain the bath in a condition of fusion and agitate it from time to
time in order to renew the surface of contact between the two layers. By reason
of the reduction of the aluminium there tends to be formed, at this point, a silicious
crust which would otherwise oppose the passage of the gases and stop the opera-
tion. When the operation is performed in a reverberatory furnace it is sufficient
to introduce an inverted crucible of plumbago or the like in such a position that its
edges are immersed in the lower layer or metallic sulphuret.
Moreover even when I employ the crucibles as receptacles I prefer to place inside
the first crucible a second or smaller crucible in an inverted position with its edges
immersed in the sulphurets forming the bottom layer. Under these conditions it is
unnecessary to agitate the mass as hereinbefore stated. The inverted crucibles are
secured in any suitable manner so as to be incapable of turning over or rising out
of the lower layer.
The desulphuration of the metal that takes place may be explained by the action
of the oxide of carbon (carbonic oxide) which passes through the red hot plumbago
of the sides of the crucible.

page_text: Whatever the method of operating followed the immediate result of the operation
is the formation of alloys of the desulphurised metal with the aluminium.
The percentage of aluminium in the alloys thus obtained depends greatly upon
the temperature at which the operation is performed. In case it is desired to obtain
alloys rich in aluminium for example it is necessary to add to the mass fluxes such
for example as aluminium fluorides which lower its melting point.
In order that the alloys obtained may not come in contact with the earthy silicates
(remaining scoria) which would cause reduction of the silicium, I prefer to pour or
run out the metal before the sulphurets are entirely decomposed so as to always
retain a certain thickness of sulphuret separating the metal from the scoria.
Dated this 5th day of February 1892
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Aluminium Alloys.
I NICOLAS LEBEDEFF of 22 Nine Line Vasilly Ostroff St. Petersburgh in
the Empire of Russia Engineer 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 :-
My invention relates to a process enabling aluminium to be extracted in the
form of an alloy from clay and other like aluminiferous minerals or products of
manufacture such as the scoria from blast furnaces employed in the treatment of
argillaceous ores for example.
In carrying out my invention I melt alumina or clay or material containing
silicate of alumina in a crucible or reverberatory furnace adding fluor spar, lime or
dolomite as a flux but when the material treated consists of blast furnace scoria for
example no flux is required.
When the melted aluminiferous mass presents a clear colour I introduce into the
bath a sulphuret of the metal which is to be alloyed with the aluminium and subject
the materials to the action of furnace gases acting in combination with apparatus
composed of plumbago or other equivalent materials as hereinafter explained.
As almost all clays contain iron I subject the molten mass to a reducing fusion in
the first place in order to eliminate this metal but when the fusion is effected in a
plumbago crucible or other similar vessel it is simply necessary to continue the
fusion until all the iron is reduced. By these means I obtain the metal in a
condition in which it can be easily poured or run out of the melting chamber.
On the other hand when the fusion takes place in an ordinary reverberatory
furnace the iron is eliminated by arranging a crucible or apparatus composed of
plumbago or equivalent material upon the surface of the bath. For example one
or more inverted plumbago basins or crucibles may be placed upon the bath the
free or exposed part of the surface of the materials being covered with a layer
of carbon. In this case I obtain spongy iron which I remove from the bath.
In case iron pyrites containing two equivalents of sulphur (Fe S2) are employed
in order to obtain an alloy of aluminium with iron I prefer to previously extract
the second equivalent of sulphur by distillation and to employ the sulphuret of iron
resulting from this operation.
When the bath presents a clear colour the sulphuret is introduced and the
materials arrange themselves in two distinct layers namely, a lower layer containing
the sulphurets and an upper layer formed by the silicates of alumina and the fluxes.
I then subject the metallic sulphuret (lower layer) to desulphuration employing
with this object apparatus composed of plumbago or equivalent material applied as
hereinafter explained.
When the operation is conducted in a plumbago crucible or receptacle it is simply
necessary to maintain the bath in a condition of fusion and agitate it from time to

page_text: time in order to renew the surface of contact between the two layers. By reason of
the reduction of the aluminium there is formed at this point a silicious crust which
would tend to oppose the passage of the gases and stop the operation if left to
itself. When the operation is performed in a reverberatory furnace it is sufficient
to introduce an inverted crucible of plumbago or the like in such a position that
its edges are immersed in the lower layer or metallic sulphuret.
In like manner when plumbago crucibles are employed as receptacles it is
preferable to place inside the first crucible a second or smaller crucible in an
inverted position with its edges immersed in the sulphurets forming the bottom
layer. Under these conditions it is unnecessary to agitate the mass as hereinbefore
stated.
Two examples of arrangements which may be employed in performing the
operations hereinbefore described are illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 of the said drawings represents in vertical section a portion of a furnace
in which a is the roof, b the hearth upon which is shewn a molten bath composed
of a layer of sulphuret and an upper aluminous layer d; e is a crucible of
plumbago placed upon the bath in an inverted position. This crucible is secured in
any suitable manner so as to be incapable of turning over or rising out of the
lower layer e.
The desulphuration of the metal that takes place may be explained
by the action of the oxide of carbon (carbonic oxide) which passes through the
red hot plumbago forming the sides of the crucible.
Figure 2 illustrates an arrangement which may be employed in case the operation
is performed in a plumbago crucible. The bath is composed of two layers c and d
as before contained in a plumbago crucible a and a second crucible e is placed
in the upper layer with its edges immersed in the lower sulphuretted layer c.
crucible is secured as hereinbefore explained with reference to the inverted crucible
placed in the furnace (Figure 1).
This
With either method of operating the immediate result is the formation of alloys
of the desulphurized metal with the aluminium. The percentage of aluminium in
the alloys thus obtained depends greatly upon the temperature at which the
operation is performed.
In case it is desired to obtain alloys rich in aluminium for example it is necessary
to add to the mass fluxes such for example as aluminium fluorides which lower its
melting point.
In order that the alloys obtained may not come in contact with the earthy
silicates (remaining scoria) which would cause reduction of the silicon (silicium) I
prefer to pour or run out the metal before the sulphurets are entirely decomposed
so as to always retain a certain thickness of sulphuret separating the metal from
the scoria.
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 :-
Manufacturing alloys of aluminium by effecting the desulphuration of the
sulphurets of the metals to be combined with the aluminium underneath a layer of
liquified clay or other liquified silicates of alumina by the action of crucibles or like
apparatus composed of plumbago or other equivalent material substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described.
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