US831067A - Method of reducing metal-bearing materials. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT oririon.

AXEL H. I-lELANDER, OF PUEBLO, COLORAD O. 7

METHOD OF REDUCING METAL-BEARING MATERIALS.

' Specification Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed December 26. 1905. Serial ITov 293.414;

- lowing is a specification.

, and of introducing the same into a furnace to This invention relates to a method of reducing flue-dust, fine ores, and concentrates accomplish such reduction.

My method consists 1n mlxing the fine metallic oxids, ores, or concentrates with liquid or semiliquid material, preferably one containing fuel values, to which mixture .may also be added finely-divided solid fuel, such as coke-breeze, together with fluxing matethe blast-furnace.

rial. The moistening materials may comprise tar, oil, or other liquid or semi'hquid substances containing carbon, and the mixing may precede or be coincident with the introduction of the plastic or viscous mass into For example, the mixed materials may be charged in the form of a paste or balls with the other burden in the usual manner, may be injected by a pump, notch-gun, or mud-gun}? at about the level of the furnace-mantle, or the solid and liquid particles may be supplied from se arate sources, mixed at the injectin -nozz es, and driven into the furnace by a b ast sufficiently strong-to overcome theinside pres sure of the furnace, the object bein in every case to supply the mixed materia in such condition as to prevent its being carried out of the furnace, unreduced, by the air-blast.

In whatever manner introduced the material will melt and begin to reduce to the metallic form soon after entering the furnace, thus solidifying to such an extent as not to be car.- ried out at the top of the furnace.

If injected either above or belowvthe mantle, the mixed materials are preferably supplied through a plurality .of nozzles spaced equally around the furnace, such nozzles being of refractory material or of metal, with water-cooling i ackets of any Well-known form.

. By the term viscous mixture, as used in the clalms, I mean a mixture. having such a degree of viscosity or plasticity as'not to be capable of retaining its shape for a prolonged period of time, such as would be necessary in molding and charging the same in the shape of bricks or blocks.

All apparatus for carrying out my method is well known in metallurgy, and it is not deemed necessary to further describe or illus- T trate it. Many changes may .be made in such apparatus, the method of mixing, and the propor-' tions of the metal-bearing, fuel-bearing, and

'fiuxing materials without departing from my invention, since What I claim is 1. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearing materials, which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof with fuel-bearing material and injecting said mixture into a reducing-furnace; substantially as described. r

2. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearing materials, which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof with fuel-bearing material and introducing said mixture into a blast-furnace at or above the zone of fusion; substantially as described.

3. The method herein described of reduc- 7 ing metal-bearing materials, which consists in forming a viscous mixture thereof with fuel-bearing ,and fluxing materials and mj ecting said viscous mixture into a blast-furnace atsubstantially the zone of fusion, sub stantially as described.

4. The method herein described of reducing metal-bearing materials which consists m simultaneously forming and injectin into a reducing-furnace a viscous mixture 0 metalbearing and fuel-bearing materials; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnessesr W..EDWARD BERG,

. Jonn F. BIRD.

AxEL H. HELANDER.