US922609A - Ore-treating furnace. - Google Patents

Description

0. 0. MEDBERY. ORE TREATING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1909.

Patented May 25, 1909.

4 SHEETS-S INVENTOR.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY C. U. MEDBERY.

ORE TREATING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED .TAN.1

Patented-May25 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ul m

A TTOH/i/E Y G. C. MEDBERY.

ORE TREATING PURNAOE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1909.

Patented May 25, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES 4f- 0 ATTORNEY G. C. MEDBBRY.

ORE TREATING FURNACE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.15, 1909.

922,609, Patented May 25, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4'.

WITNESSES l/Vl/Z TOR v Alb/WM v ATTORNEY UNITED STAT CHAUNOEY 'G. MEDBERY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ORE-TREATING FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed January 15, 1909. Serial No. 472,399.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHA NCEY O. MED- BERY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York, county and Stateof New York, have invented Improvements in Ore-Treating Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The rotary continuous ore treating furnace forming the subject of this invention comprises cylinders lined with refractory material suitably mounted at different heights and reversibly inclined, an end support connecting the lower end of an upper cylinder to the upper end of a lower cylinder, means for rotating the cylinders, means for feeding ore to the upper end of the uppermost cylinder, and fuel su ply device located at the lower end of thG lOWESt cylinder. By this arrangement of parts the construction and operation of ore treating furnaces of this character, requiring chambers sufficiently long to insure the thorough melting of the ore passing through them, are greatly facilitated. Considerable space is saved, as each cylinder, according to the number, need be according to the number used only proportionately as long as a single cylindrical furnacehaving the same ore treating capacity to provide for the necessary time of transit of the ore through the furnace ;'the length of a single cylinder being also controlled by practical limitations. It further )rovides further advantageous features, for instance an ore that requires roasting may as continuing processes under one heating be roasted and heated in an upper cylinder or cylinders and then smelted 1n a lower cylinder or cylinders.

Another feature of this invention lies in applying a fore-hearth to receive the molten minerals (metal and slag) as they flow in a continuous stream from the discharge end of the furnace; said fore-hearth having sufficicntcapacity for the accumulation of considerable metal which is drawn off from its lower part from time to time, whilethe slag flows in a continuous stream from its upper nut, and this fore-hearth is designed to be heated by the waste heat of the products of combustion from the furnace, provisions therefor being preferably made by flues formed in the walls of. the fore-hearth.

'l heinvention further consists in the com-. bination with rotary cylinder furnaces of regenerators of suitable construction adapted to be alternately heated by the gaseous and held in place,

may be rotated at products of combustion leaving the feeding end of the furnace, and alternately afiord passages, perature of the fuel (gas and air) as it passes to the furnace; and in a system of gates and valves in the various pipes and passages so connected as to be simultaneously operated, which may be automatically done, at suitable regular intervals.

Other novel features of construction pertaining to rotary continuous ore treating furnaces will, with the main featuresabove set forth, be now fully described by reference had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of afurnace showing an embodiment of my invention, with some parts broken away to show the internal construction; Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section; Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the return fuel connector at the rear ends of the cylinders; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing the discharge end of the lower cylinder and the fuel supply nozzles, taken on the line 5, 5, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the forehearth, in section on line 6, 6, Fig. 7; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the same showing a side wall broken away; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the forward part of a modification of the invention, whereby the combined )XOCGSS of roasting and smelting ores may l)6 perfectly carried out, and Fig. 9 is a front view of the same, partly in section.

For most purposes and general use it is thought that in place of one long cylinder of a rotary continuous furnace two sections or two short cylinders located one above the other, as shown in the drawings, will be suflicient.

The two cylinders a and b are supported reversely inclined, by c and (1 respectively suitable roller bearings frames and bearmg carried by supporting rings 9, c on the cylinders. shown for rotating the cylinders cons sts of gear rings f and 9 attached to the cylmders a and b and actuating gears h and i respectively, independently driven from any suitable source of power, so that the cylinders different speeds as may be expedient in governing the speeds of travel of the minerals through the cylinders; the driving gears being shown provided wlth cone pulleys j, k for this purpose.

when heated, to raise the tem The means The front ends of the cylinders, that is the high end of the cylinder a and the low end of the cylinder 1; are fitted to rotate in a front frame Z, and the rear ends of the cylinders, that is the low end of the cylinder 0.

and the high'end of the cylinder 11 are fitted to rotate in the frame m of the return flue connector n of the cylinders.

Side passages in the front frame Z afford communication between the chambers into which the front ends ofthe cylinders open and are filled with checker work, constituting the regenerators, and each passage is by a vertical wall 0 divided into two parts 1) I and 9, thus forming a pair of regenerators at each side of the furnace, the parts p providing passages for the air and the parts assages' for the gas of the gaseous fue he an and gaspassages although shown of equal size in the drawin s may, as will be well understood, be made 0 different capacities.

' An air supply pipe 7 by branches 8, 8 connects with t e upper ends of the passages p of the regenerators, and a gas pipe t, by

branches u connects with the upper ends of the passages q. The air and gas ass from the regeneratorsinto the mixing c amber 'v and issue therefrom by the nozzle 'w into the discharge end of the lower cylinderv b.

The regenerator passages continue down-.

wardly into dust collecting pockets :0, 2:, closed by doors y, and just above these pockets are'side openings 2 through which the heated gaseous roducts of combustion esca e after passing t rough the regenerators.

T e fore-hearth 1 is rectangular. in shape,

is ada ted to fit between the lower part of the si e legs of the front frame, and IS'PIO- vided with wheels 2 restingl on rails, whereby 4 the fore-hearth is full; the metals being drawn. off, from time to time, at the spout 6 located at the lower part of the fore-hearth,

' and plugged in the usual manner.

Thefore-hearth consists of a metal fee- I tangular casing lined at the-sides and bottom with a refractory material rovided with i horizontal passages .7, 7, t e upper and second passages being connected by vertical openings 8, 8, the second and third by openings 9, 9, the third and fourth b openings 10, 10, and so on to the hollow ottom 11, which by a central opening and connecting pipe 12 communicates with a discharge flue 13 when the fore-hearth is set in operative controlling t e flow of the gas.

position. The passages 7, 7 are divided by vertical partitions 14, 14. The upper passages 7, 7 have two openings 15, 15 at each side of the fore-hearth which aline with the openings z, z in the chamber at the lower ends of the re enerators, so that heated products of com ustion from the cylinder a,

- alternately flowing through the regenerators,

will pass alternately through the openings 1g, 15 at the two sides of the fore-hearth into t .0 and ow right and left through all the horizontal passages and finally escape through the opening and connecting pipe 12, there keeping the fore-hearth heated, to maintain the minerals therein in a molten condition, sufficiently intense that with the large capacity of the fore-hearth will insure a complete precipitation of 'all of the values or metals from the molten mass.

Ore is'continuo'usly fed to the high end of the cylinder a from the hopper 16 by any suitable means, as a screw conveyer' 17. In

lppl' passages 7, 7, where they dividethe air and gas pipes and at the communi- {cations between the various'flues and passages are located gates or valves to direct .the flow of the air' and as and the heated products of combustion from the cylinder a alternately to the two pairs of regenerators. Theair pipe has a valve 18 adapted to cause the air to ow through either of the branches 8 and the gas ipe has a valve 19 for similarly In the branches 8 and u of .the air and as pipes are check valves 20 and 21 to cut oil the regenerators from the supply pipes and their controlling valves. At the sides of the chamber intowhich the upper end of the cylindera opens are shown sliding gates or valves for c osing communication between saidchamberand the upper end of the reenerators, and below t e regenerators are i ocated pivotal valves 23, 23 whosejfunctions are to close the o enin s to the mixing chamber 12 through w ich the heated air and gas flow and to close connnunication between the regenerators and the fore-hearth. In the operation of the furnace these gates or valves are reversely set at the two sides of the cylinders, as shown at Fig. 2, that is the air and gas valves 18 and 19 are set to allow the gases to enter the regenerators at the left hand, the check valve 20 at this side being also 0 ened, the. ate 22 is closed and the pivota valve 23 1s set horizontally to cut off 7 communication to the fore-hearth and 0 en the mixing chamberof the burner noze to the pair of regenerator-s. At the right hand the pair of regenerators is open to the upper cyhnder a, the gate 22 being raised, the air and gas valves 18 and 19 and the check valves 20, 20 closed, and the pivotal valve 23 set vertically so as to cut off the burner nozzle w and open communication between the cylinder a and the fore-hearth the heat of I,

through the regeneretors at the side of the furnace. After the furnace has been run with the valves &c. set as just described'for o fixed interval of time, to properly heat the left hand air of regenerstors, the positions of all of th s valves (lac. are then reversed to heat up the left hand regeneretors and cause the air and gas to flow through the right hand regeneretors, and as it is advantageous to move all the valves &o. simultaneously suitable connecting and operating devices are shown, consisting of e sprocket Wheel 2 4, which may he motor driven but is shown with en operating handle, a chain con necting this Wheel to e sprocket Wheel 26 on a shaft located at the upper part of the furnece, rocks and pinions 27, 27 for operating the ates 22, 22, chains 28, 28 connecting the sliafts of these pinions to the shaft of the sprocket 26, links 29, 29 pivoted to the upper ends of the gates 22, 22, and the onus 30, 30 on the shaft of the pivotal valves 23, 23, a link 31 joining the upper end of one of the gates 22 to the end of on arm 32 connected to the shaft of a pinion 33, another arm 34 on this shaft connected to the arm of one of the valves 20 by a link 35, it link 36 connecting the arm of this valve 20 to the arm of the other errn 20, and a segmental gear 3'7 on the shaft of the-valves l8 and 19, and into which meshes thepinion 33.

The connector M et the rear ends of the cylinders a and b with the return flue n is supported by a suitable frame 38, ell of its inner exposed surfaces of the upper part are covered by a refractory material and its lower port, "which constitutes e. chute 39 to direct, the ore as it falls from the upper cyiinder a into the lower cylinder 7), is of naetel end adequately Water jacketed, the inlet end outlet pipes controllin the writer su thereto heiog" indicated at 40 end &1. eve the chute 39 is on opening 42, covered loy door, for the inser"'ion of s, down tool to cleer the chute should it hee l end ehovethis opening 42 is e. orpe 43 to t o the lower end of e upper c il a: 1 ii) coed that of the time of its trensit through the smelting cylinder then it is proposed incrchse the length of the upper cylinder, which may he done in the manner shown at Figs. 8 and 9,-Which illustrates the necessary modifications in the construction of the front end of the furnace, the resr end end ell essential features being as heretofore shown and described. The upper end of the elongated cylinder 46 rotates in upper pert 27 of the front frerne Z, which is supported by standard frames 48, 48; the regenerntors in this cese have their upper parts 49, 49' orrsnged horizontally end by curved hends communicate with burner at the lower end of the lower'cylinder end the foreheerth. All of the valves etc. and parts similar to those described and shown in the other drawings ere correspondingly designated, and their operations similar, so it further reference to them is unnecessary.

I claim as my invention l. The combination With s rotery cylinder furnace, menus for feeding ore thereto at one end and means for supplying a gnseous fuel at the other end, of regenerntors throngh which the "roduc'ts of coinhustion from the cylinder furnace end the gaseous fuel, sir end gas, alternately pass, and n fore-hearth also heated by the products of combustion and into which flow the melted miner-sis from the furnace.

2. The combination with e rotery cylinder furnace, means for feeding ore thereto at one end end insane for supplying; s gaseous fuel st the other end, of two pnirs of regeneretors locsted at the feeding end of the furnace cl ternetely heated by the products of cornhustion from the furnace elternnteiy irnporting their hestto the sir end gee of the fuel suppiied to the furnace, end n for hesrth tor receiving the illltfi miner from the and adapted. to he hosted '1" L i my the pro comnustion.

3 The io with n ter cylinder hirnsce, in end .rne

at the oti eding; ore reto at one rep eneretore rince to the regenerators, and means for simultaneously unionally actuating all of the gates or valves. v J 4. The combination with a rotary cylinder furnace, means for feeding ore thereto at one end and means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the other end, a fore-hearth into'which the molten minerals from the furnace run, and a flueor passage for directing the products of combustion from the furnace to the forehearth.

5. A fore-hearth for receiving molten minerals from an ore treating furnace having as sages formed in its walls through W ich heated gases may be caused to pass, a spout at the upper part for the continuous discharge of the s ag and a spout-at the lower part for drawing ofl the metals.

6. A movable fore-hearth for receiving molten minerals from a furnace having passages formed in its walls with inlet openings at the upper part and an outlet opening at the lower part, in combination w th a flue adapted to connect with and direct heated gases to the inlet openings and a discharge pipe adapted to connect with the outlet opening when the fore-hearth is set in operative position. v

7. A movable fore-hearth for receiving molten minerals from a furnace having a series of horizontal passages vertically. connected at diflerent arts formed in its walls and bottom withi et openings at the upper part and an outlet opening at the lower part,

in combination witha flue adapted to connect with and direct heated gases to the inlet openings and a discharge pipe ada ted to connect with the outlet opening when the fore-hearth is set in operative position.

8. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector joining the low end of the upper cylinder and the high end of the lower cylinder and having a guide chute over which the ore passes from the upper to the lower cylinder, and a barring down opening above the chute.

. 9. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at-the low endof the lower one, and a return flue connector pro- I 'vided with a water jacket at the lower part and joining the low end of the u per 0 linder and the high end of the lower cyhndert rou h which the ore passes from the upper to t e lower c linder. f

10. n ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector provided with a water jacket at the lower part and joining the low end of the upper cylinder and the high end of the lower cy i der throu h which the. ore passes from the upper to t e lower cylinder, said return flue connector having a barring down opening above the water jacket.

11. A movable fore-hearth for receiving molten minerals from a furnace havinga series of horizontal passages vertically'i com nected at different parts formed in its walls .and bottom with inlet-openings at the upper part and an outlet opening at the lower part,

in combination with a flue adapted to connect with and direct heated gases to the inlet openings and a discharge pipe ada ted to connect with the outlet opening whent eforehearth is set in operative position, in combination with a stationary arch hood over the fore-hearth and a burner nozzle passing through the end wall of the hood for applying heat to the surface of the contents of the fore-hearth.

12. The combination with two rotary furnace cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper cylinder, means for su plying a gaseous fuel to the low end of the ower cylinder, of regenbustion from the cylinder furnace and the gaseous fuel, airand gas, alternately pass, a

return flue connector havin suitable openings in which the. ends of t e cylinders rotate, a water jacket at the lower part of the return flue connector, and a nozzle passing through the return flue connector ada ted to supply a stream of gas to the lower en of the upper cylinder.

13. The combination with two rotary furnace cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the uppercylinder, means for su plying a gaseous fuel to the low end of the ower cylinder, of regenerators through which the products of combustion from the cylinder furnace and the gaseous fuel, air and gas, alternately pass, a return'flue connector havin suitableopenings in which the ends of t e cylinders r0- tate, a water jacket at the lower part of the return flue connector, and a nozzle passing through the return flue connector ada ted to supply a stream of gas to the lower en of the upper cylinder, a peep hole located near the nozzle, and a barring down hole located above the water jacket.

14. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the up er one, means'for supplying a. gaseous fue at the low end of the lower one, a return :flue conass-ens n'ector join'in the low end of theupper cylinder and theli through which the ore passes from the upper to the lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylinders are fitted to rotate, a fore-hearth located beneath the low end of the lower cylinder and heated by the gaseous products of combustion discharged from the high end of the upper cylinder, means for supporting and means for independently rotating the cylinders 15. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding 1a ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector joining the low end of the upper cylinder and the high end of the lower cylinder through which the ore passes from the upper to the lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylinders are fitted to rotate, means for supporting and means for independently rotating the cylinders, regenerators in the front frame through which the gaseous roducts of combustion from the upper cy inder are by suitable valves caused to alternately pass, and through which, as the become alternately heated, the gaseous fue is causedoto flow before it enters the lower end of the lower cylinder.

16. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector joining. the low end of the upper c linder and the high end of the lower cylin er throu h 40 which the ore passes from the upper to t e lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylindersare fitted to r0 tat-e, means for supporting and means for independently rotatln the cylinders, two pairs of regenerators in t e front frame affording communication between the two cylinders,

' gas and air supply pipes, a mixing chamber at the lower end of the lower cylinder, valves or gates in said pi es and at the ends of the regenerators by t e manipulation of which the hot gaseous roducts of combustion from the upper cylin er and the air and gas of the fuel are caused to alternately pass.

17. An ore treating furnace comprisin 5 5 two cylinders reversely inclined and arrange one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector (30 joining the low end of the upper c linder and the high end of the lower c lin er throu h which the ore passes from t e upper to t e lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylinders are fitted to rotate, means for supporting and means for inigh end of the lower cylinder dependently rotating the cylinders, two pairs of regeneratcrs in the front frame affording communication between the two cylinders, gas and air supply pipes, a miXin chamber at the lower end of the lower cylin er, valves or gates in said pipes and at the ends of the regenerators by the manipulation of which the hot gaseous products of combustion from the upper cylinder and the air and gas of the fuel are caused to alternately pass, and dirt discharge openings at the lower ends-of the regenerators.

18. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arrange one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the highe'nd of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the low end of the lower one, "and a return flue connector joining. the low end of the upper c linder and the high end of the lower cylin er throu h which the ore passes from the upper to t e lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylinders are fitted to rotate, means for supporting and means for independently rotating the cylinders, regenerators in the front frame through which the gaseous products of combustion from the upper cylinder are by suitable valves caused to alternately pass, and through which, as they becomealternately heated, the gaseous fuel is caused to flow before it enters theilower end of the lower cylinder, and a fore-hearth for receiving molten minerals, provided with heating passages in communication with the regenerators to receive the heated gases after they flow through the regenerators.

19. An ore treating furnace comprising two cylinders reversely inclined and arranged one higher than the other, means for feeding ore to the high end of the upper one, means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the'low end of the lower one, and a return flue connector joining the low end of the upper c linder and the high end of the lower cylin er throu h which the ore passes from the upper to the 110 lower cylinder, a front frame in which the other ends of the cylinders are fitted to ro-' tate, means for supporting and means for independently rotating the cylinders, regenerators in the front frame through which the gaseous products of combustion from the upper cylinder are by suitable valves caused to alternatel pass, and through which, as they become a ternatel heated, the gaseous fuel is caused to flow efore it enters the lower end of the lower cylinder, a fore-hearth into which the molten minerals flow from the lower 0 linder and provided with passages 1n its wal in communication with and to receive the heated gases from the regenerators, and a nozzle above the fore-hearth for supplying fuel to maintain the upper part min;- erals mthe fore-hearth in a molten condition.

20. The combination with a rotary cylin- 139 *de'r furnace, means for feedin ore thereto at one end and means for supp ylng a gaseous tors located at the feeding end of the alternately heated by the productsof comfuel at the other end of regenerators throu h which the products of combustion from t e cylinder furnace and the gaseous fuel, air and as, alternately pass, and a fore-hearth also eated by the products of combustion and into which flow the melted minerals from the furnace, and a burner nozzle for sup lying fuel above the fore-hearth to maintain the surface of the molten mineral therein in a molten condition.

' 21. The combination with a rotary cylinder furnace, means for feeding ore thereto at one end and means for supplying a gaseous fuel at the other end, of two pairs'of re eneramace bustion from the furnace and alternately impartingtheir heat to the air and as of the fue su plied to the furnace, an a forehearth or receiving the melted minerals from the furnace and adapted to be heated by the products of com-bustion, a discharge s out at theupper part of the fore-hearth for t e continuous flow of the slag therefrom, and a CHAUNCEY C. MEDBERY.

Witnesses l I J. O.'MOK'IBBIN,

JAMEs A. HUDEN.

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