US228852A - Tbekitoey - Google Patents

Description

2Sheets-Sheet1Q N. ARMSTRONCL'H G. ATKINS, 85 H. F. BROWN.

Smelting Furnace.

No. 228,852. Patented June 15,1880.

Q 1 I G n-601 s:

2 222472 Mflm W I nests-sheen. N. "ARMSTRONG, E; C. ATKINS, '82; HI. BROWN.

' smelting Furnace. Nd. 228,852. Paten ted lune 15,1880.

' oawi? VIII/11111110101111!!!.v zfiwnfiiwi 2, wnlllllllllllmuh 64% flfm @457 UNITE STATES PATE T Orrrcne NOAH ARMSTRONG OF GLENDALE, MONTANA TERRITORY, AND ELIAS O. ATKINS AND HORACE F. BROWN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SMELTlNG-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,852, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filed November 21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, NOAH ARMSTRONG, of Glendale, county of Beaver Head, Territory of Montana, and ELIAS C. ATKINS and HORACE F. BROWN, both of Indianapolis, county of Marion, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smelting and Refining Furnaces, of which the following is such a full and exact description as will en- I0 able others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the different figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the furnace complete. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the crucible and water-jacket. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 00 xof Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, in section, of one of the. inclined tuyeres.

This invention especially relates to that class of processes and apparatus used in reducing metalliferous ores to a metallic condition, and then refining the product before removal from the furnace by oxidizing all those portions of the metal which can be removed by the application of an air-blast so applied as to boil the molten metal in the crucible, thus bringing it into intimate contact with the oxygen of the 0 air-blast, which, with the heat engendered in the process, quickly oxidizes the base metals, such as lead and copper, that are mixed with them ore stable metals, as gold and silver, which form the contents of the crucible of the fur- 3 5 naee, thus enabling thefurnace to deliver its product ina marketable condition without first going through the process of cupellation; and the in vention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the different parts of 0 the furnace, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and then specifically stated in the claim.

Inthe drawings, A shows the water-jacket, which is formed by two walls or plates of sheet or cast metal, with the inner wall forming the 4 5 fire-pot, the space between the walls to be filled with water, which is constantly changed and renewed by means of the inlet 0 and the overflow-pipes E. This water-jacket diflers from others in this, that it extends downward below the bottom of the crucible or sump in the furnace, and in the angle of the; top at A, which is flared back in such a manner that the outer wall is higher than the inner. In case sheet metal is used the plate is flanged back at A to connect with the outer wall, and at A to connect with the lower plate below the offset.

As heretofore constructed, the top of the jacket has generallybeen made at right angles to the walls, or on a horizontal line, and when 6Q thus made of sheet metal a joint has necessarily been formed at A by lapping the plates and riveting. The lap forms a double thickness of metal, which is eaten away by the intense heat until the outer lap is destroyed and the jacket rendered worthless. Air and steam bubbles also form in all the highest joints, forcing the water down to a level with the lowest point or overflow, leaving the jacket still further exposed where the lap-joints occur.

By our construction, as shown at A, there is no joint, and all air or steam that may be formed in gathering to the highest point is carried to the outer wall by the angle in the top, leaving a constant contact of water on the 7 5 inner wall. The overflow-pipe is placed in the top of the jacket, instead of in the side near the top, as heretofore, and at the highest point, and so constructed as to carry the water several inches above the top. This insures a perfectly full jacket, and the overflow-pipes H be- .ing placed at short intervals around the entire top of the jacket, a constant current of ascending water is drawn to every part, insuring an equal temperature, and thus we venting cracks in the metal.

In all water-jackets heretofore made and used, so far as our knowledge extends, the jacket terminated at the point A. In sheetmetal jackets this brought a lap-joint at the 0 point of the most intense heat, and, in addition, the jacket was often ruined by sediment from the water burning or caking on the metal, thereby preventing the water from coming in contact with the metal where most needed.

Our improvement in flanging the inner wall at A at such an angle that it will not collect sediment from the water, and also form a backing to hold the lining O, avoids this difficulty and leaves but a single thickness of metal at IQQ tion being preferable.

A, giving the best attainable effect to the water in keeping the jacket cool.

The outer and inner linings of the waterjacket are bent angularly at A to allow aoontinuous flow of water, and have their offsets parallel with each other, whereby the inclined tuyeres E are inserted perpendicular to the offsets in the linings, (see Fig. 2,)and water-tight joints between the tuyeres E and the jacket are more readily formed than when such offsets are not employed, and the tuyeres are inclined to the linings of the Water-jacket. By this construction of offsets in the water-jacket also greater spaceis allowed for the fire-bricks forming the crucible than if the water-jacket were straight.

All sedimentary matter is deposited at the bottom below the heat, and can be removed as necessary by means of hand-holes, plugs, or sluice-pipes in the ordinary manner. In all vertical joints in the inner wall the metal is flanged and riveted, as shown at 0 0 0. lhis brings the lap away from the heat.

The blast-chamber B may be secured to the outer wall of the water-jacket, as shown, or may be an independent box with suitable connections to the tuyeres, the former construc- The blast may be admitted to the chamber at B, or in any manner most convenient.

From the chamber B the tuyeres D enter the furnace through the water-jacket, as in any ordinary furnace of the waterjacket class. From the lower portion of the chamber B the inclined tuyeres E pass downward at an angle and enter the crucible or sump of the furnace at a point below the surface of the molten bath.

The tuyere-pipes E are made of graphite or other highly-refractory material, slightly tapering, and of a size to nearly fill the opening through the water-jacket.

In the outer wall of the blast-chamber an opening, E, is formed, so arranged as to be easily opened and closed.

To put the tuyere-pipes E in place, they are first luted with clay and then passed through the opening E and pressed down to their proper position in the water-jacket. The luting of clay will form a tight joint, and the taper of the tuyere-pipes or an enlarged head will prevent them from being forced down by the blast.

The crucible is formed by lining the lower portion of the water-jacket with fire-brick or other refractory material, as shown at 0.

To prevent radiation of the hot blast, or the cooling of the same by the water-jacket, the chamber B may be lined with any suitable non-conducting material, as shown at I), Fig. 2.

The upper portion of the furnace may be constructed in the ordinary manner, F being the stack, and G the charging-door, through which the furnace is supplied with fuel and ore.

The operation of our improved furnace is as follows: For smelting, the lower tuyeres, E, are closed and the tuyeres D opened. The furnace is then charged in the same manner as any ordinary furnace. When the crucible is filled with molten metal the tuyeres D may be closed and the tuyeres E opened. The blast is turned on under sufficient pressure to force the air through the molten metal. The baser metals-such as arsenic, antimony, lead, &c.will be rapidly oxidized and thrown off. When the refining process has been carried to the proper point the refined product may be drawn off at the outlet a, and the operation repeated.

For reducing sulphureted ores, after the crucible is filled with metal under the proper degrees of heat, the blast, being preferably heated, is turned through the tuyeres E. The combustion of the sulphur contained in the metal will produce an intense heat, which will continue as long as a fresh supply of sulphurets is added. As the metal accumulates in the crucible it flows off through the siphon I), or may be drawn through the outlet a. The slag is drawn off, as necessary, through the openings 0, as in an ordinary furnace. When the product flows off through the siphon the operation can be made continuous, the product being desulphurized, and much of the baser portion being oxidized during the process of reduction without the addition of fuel after the first charge.

To refine base bullion, the bullion can be melted in the furnace and treated as described, or it may be melted in a furnace or hearth especially fitted with the inclined tuyeres for the purpose of refining.

We do not claim, broadly, a waterjacket furnace as such, nor the process of refining metal by forcing air through a molten bath, nor the reduction of sulphureted ores by the process described but We do claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent The combination, with the metallic waterjacket A, forming the fire-pot and extending continuously below the bottom of the furnace, with both its walls bent angnlarly and parallel with each other to form the ofl'setA, of the tuyeres E, perpendicular to said offset, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

'NQAH ARMSTRONG. ELIAS o. ATKINS. HORACE r. BROWN.

Witnesses OHARLEs M. SHEPHERD, MERRITT POTTER.

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