US522675A - Apparatus for reducing - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. H. F. 'D. SGHWAH N. APPARATUS FOR REDUCING, ALLOYING, REMELTI'NG, AND MIXING METALS.

No. 522,675. Patented July 10, 1894. 1 15 .1.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2; I

H. P D. SGHWAHN.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING, A-LLOYING, REMELTINGQ AND MIXING METALS. V

No. 522,675. Patented July 10,1894.

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UNITED "STATES HEINRICH F. SOI-IVVAHN,

PATENT. OFFICE;

KANSAS CIT-Y, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR'Rl-IDUCING, ALLOY-ING, REMELQTING, AND MIXING METALS.

srncxnzce'rxou forming part of Letters Patent a. 522,675, dated July 10,1894. Application filfi March 2], 1893 Serial No.46'7,029. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRICH F. D. SOHWAHN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ap-' paratus for Reducing, Alloying, Remelting, and Mixing Metals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a certain new and useful apparatus whereby metals can be reduced, alloyed, remelted and mixed within an air-tight receptacle or' retort, said retort being capable of being set in motion, and heat applied thereto; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I, represents a side elevation of my improved receptacle. Fig. II, represents a longitudinal, vertical section of the same. Fig. III, is a transverse section taken on line III, III, of Fig. II. Fig. IV, represents amodification, the same being a transverse section taken on line IV, IV of Fig. V. Fig. V, represents a longitudinal section showing my mixing receptacle in a modifiedfo'rm. Fig. VI, represents a transverse section of the receptacle in amodified form, Fig. VII, represents still another modification, the same being taken in transverse section. 7

Referring to the drawings: 1, represents a receptacle or retort surrounded by a series of auxiliary chambers or fines 2, to permit the passage of heat, said fines being located between the shell 3, of the retort and an annular shell 4, surrounding said retort.-

5, represents an annular shell surrounding the shell 4, but having an intervening dead air space 6, to prevent radiation. Around the shell 5, is an outer shell 7, preferably made of iron. The retort and shells surrounding the same are preferably made oblong in longitudinal section and round in cross section.

8, represents an aperture leading through the outer shells'into a space 9, for the passage of gases or heat, conducting the same to the fines 2, surrounding the retort, the heat atoms passing through said fines, as shown by arrows, passinginto a space 10, at the opposite end of the receptacle, and out through an aperture 11, connecting with a stack or fiue (not shown).

The retort l, is provided .with an opening '12, through which'the same may be filled or stocked, and then closedand made air-tight by a suitable door such for instance, as the plate 13, held in close contact with the walls of the aperture 12, by means of a screw 14.

After the metals to be reduced or alloyed, 850., are placed within the retort 1, the door 13, is sealed, and the receptacle is rotated, turning completely around, orpartially so, as may be desired. The means of rotation are as follows: The receptacle is placed within a cradle formed of a base 15, supporting shafts 16, having rollers 17, thereon, said rollers supporting the receptacle.

18,1'epresents a drive pulley connected with one of the shafts 16,'by a'suitable gearing 19, in order to drive said'shaft and rotate said pulleys, and thus agitate the receptacle, turning the same completely over or oscillating it as before mentioned.

20, represents a drive belt fordriving the pulley 18. p 7 p 21., represents a tap-hole located in the side of the receptacle passing from the retort through the different shells in order-that the metal after beingmi'xed and alloyed, 85c, may be tapped out at will, or for resulting gases to make their exitthrough the same, said taphole beingsuitably closed, normally by means of clay, for instance, held in place by aplate 22, and screw 23.

In Fig. IV, I have shown a modification in construction of the retort, the same being formed of a series of staves 24, preferably made offire-clay, having the fiues 2, and the dead air space 6, therein. Theinner endsof said staves are made rounding, as shown at 25, so that when a series of them have been placed together they form a corrugated surface for the retort, said corrugated surt'ace aiding in mixing the metals during the reduction and alloying of the same, as the receptacle is rotated.

In Fig. VI,Ihave shown still another modification in which the staves 24, are formed the same as in Fig. IV; but in said modification I have dispensed with the dead air space 6, and have inserted a central pipe 25%, forming a flue 26, in the center of the retort through which a portion of the heat atoms pass, thu forming a greater radiating surface for the heat.

In Fig. VII, I have shown still another modification, in which the corrugated surfaces of the staves 24, are dispensed with, and a lining formed of a series of iron or steel segments 27, is placed within the fire-clay, the retort 1, being within the iron segments. In order to prevent deterioration of the iron or steel by the extraction of the carbon therefrom I provide a series of longitudinal chambers 28, within the said iron or steel segments in which carbon is placed before heat is applied to the retort and the said chambers are perfectly closed with clay.

In the modified form, as shown in Fig. V, the ends 29, of the receptacle are made in section and bolted to the body of the receptacle as shown at 30. I am thus able to remove said ends at will in order to gain access to the interior of the retort and shells surrounding the same.

My preferable method of heating the retort is by means of gas ignited as it passes through the aperture 8; but I do not confine myself to this means of heating the same.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction or arrangement of the device above described as it is manifest the same may be varied without changing the principle. For instance the fiuepassing through the crucible may be left out or the apparatus be built in another form and set in motion by other suitable means, or said retort, fines and spaces may be greatly varied in form and the supply of the heat to said fiues differently arranged without changing the principle.

In reduction and alloying combined I preferably reduce a metal like aluminum first, and then add other metals to be alloyed thereto; but two or more may be reduced together if found to be desirable. In alloying I preferably bring all the .metals first into a molten state and then run them into the already heated retort to be alloyed by mixing,

,molten metals thereto to be alloyed.

but if metals shall be alloyed with aluminum then I have the latter first remelted in my improved apparatus and then I add the said The retort is closed during the process as before described, and set in mot-ion, and the heat continued to reduce or keep the mixed metals in a liquid state while the same are being mixed and alloyed by the rotation of the receptacle, the agitation being kept up until the metals are perfectly alloyed, which is determined by sampling at the taphole. The remelting is carried out by placing the metal into the retort and heating the same, which is in general done for the purification of the metals.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus for reducing, alloying, remelting and mixing metals a combination of a suitably constructed retort composed of suitable material, suitable fines surrounding the same for conveying heat to the said retort, and intervening spaces arranged in the manner and for the purposes as specified; the said combination suitably built into a metal lie shell, the resultant apparatus provided with suitable means for charging, discharging, closing and sealing the said retort; with suitable means for introducing heat into the said fines, and with suitable means to set the said apparatus in motion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for reducing, alloying, remelting and mixing metals a combination of a retort, ilues and intervening spaces all arranged as specified; the said combination built into a metallic shell, with detachable ends connected with said shell; means for charging, discharging and closing the said rotort; means for introducing heat into the said fines of the resultant apparatus, and means to set the same in motion, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

HEINRICH F. D. SCIIWAIIN.

\Vitnesses:

J AS. E. KNIGHT, F. E. MULLETT.

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