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Patent granted to Mr. Benecke, Verdigris manufacturer, and messrs. shears, coppersmiths, for an improved process in preparing zinc or spelter
261
Fatent granted to Mr. Benecke, Verdigris Alanufaeturer, and Messrs. Shears, Coppersmiths, for an Improved process in preparing Zinc or Speller. IN the ordinary method of preparing zinc, or spelter, the ore is exposed to the heat of a furnace, in a melting pot, from the bottom of which a pipe descends into a vessel of water, for the purpose of receiving tile metals as they are melted~ and tbr condensing such portions as pass off in the form of vapour+ An improvement upon this mode was the subject of a patent about fifteen years ago, in which it was so arranged, that as the zinc volatilized, the vapour should be received, and condensed, in a separa.te ~¢~sel , leaving the melted metal, such as lead, and other impurities, in the former. Now the new process we have to describe, is an improvement upon the latter mode; it consists, firstly, in a peculiar treatment of the-ore, t)revious to its introduction into the fimlace; and sccondly~ in a peculiar arrangement of the retorts and other appendages, by whicha more con.venient mode of charging the retorts is obtained, and a purer metal is the result. The ores . are . first. to be . roasted in the ordinary, way,..bY-strait f ., .)'it~g them with fuel, and setting fire to the pile. I'he ore is next spread out in the air, and lixiviatcd, to Sel)arate the sulphate o1" zinc; it is next to be dried, pulverized, and roasted a second time, until the sulphm' is extricatedl when it should be powdered again, and mixed with an equal quantity of carbonaceous matters, such as powdered coal, charcoal, cinders, &c.; in this state it is to be saturated with an alkaline ley, or a solution of COlnmon salt; the solutions var)'ing, according to the nature of the ore. Calamine, or other oxides of zinc, will require only to be pulverized and calcined. With the ores prepared, as before mentioned, the retorts are to be chaNed; one of these is shown in perspective at a in the annexed figure; they are made of fire clay, or such earth as will best stand the heat of the furnace. To the front end of these retorts, are two apertures; the upper, circular, for the reception of the neck of an earthen head piece b; the lower, d, is square, for clearing out t)e residuums after working, which is closed during the distillation, b) a stopper, and luted. The head piece has likewise another tube litted to it, and luted, merely for the purpose of lengthening it, sutticiently to allow the vapour to cool as it descends, and to condense upon an iron-plate beneath, as shown in the lowest figure in the diagram; which represents a cross or vertical section of a reverberatory furnace, in which a double row of such retorts may be supposed to be arranged, with a long aperture between them where the tire is situated, which rests upon a grating over an arched passage, that communicates with the open air outside the building: this arched passage has a doori by the opening and shutting of which the heat of the furnace is regulated as may be required: and through one 0f the ends of this lol)g ~'urnacc an aperture is made for SUl)plying it with fuel.
Pale,zt for preparilzg Zinc.
262
The earthen head pieces, b b, it will be observed~ hax,e an aperture supplied with a stopper; through these openings~ the ore and carbon, prepared as befm'e mentioned, are introduced in sufficient quautity, by means of a ladle, into the body. of the retort; when the apertures are closed ,'rod luted. 'l'he operatmn of distillation then commences; the ziric which rises in. vapour passes into the head pieces~ b b, down the pipes c c, and fi~lls upon the ir(m plates beneath~ in a condensed state. .<
B Z the arrangement desc,'ibed, the head and neck of each retmt is placed in a s{luare recess or neck h~y itself, b), walls built out between ihelll, st) that each may be perfectly closet[ in~ b)' ~t door~ fl'om wall to wall. The doors are made of latticed wive work~ tbr the purpose of hohth~g clay when plastered over them~ tbr the purpose of etrectuallv coniinillg tile heat within the furnace; each of these doors.. has, a central eve.. hole, provided, also: with a. stotl~ mr, fin- watchmg the progress of the ~Teratmn, and tor enabhng the workmen to ddermine the degree of heat to be applied~ and ott'~er circum~iances. By another a r r a l l g e l n e l l { , tim Patentees propose to erect furmtces, ~iih several tiers d' cylindrical retorts~ placed one above am,ther, with their necks or heads projecting lmjond the front wall. The life. place is coveredby a low ;trch, to prevent the life acting too viuicntlj op,m the lowermost vessels; but through the arch, aperture.* are made for the circulatiml of the heated air among the vessels abo'~e,
Ii v,.
Fatent granted to Mr. Benecke, Verdigris Alanufaeturer, and Messrs. Shears, Coppersmiths, for an Improved process in preparing Zinc or Speller. IN the ordinary method of preparing zinc, or spelter, the ore is exposed to the heat of a furnace, in a melting pot, from the bottom of which a pipe descends into a vessel of water, for the purpose of receiving tile metals as they are melted~ and tbr condensing such portions as pass off in the form of vapour+ An improvement upon this mode was the subject of a patent about fifteen years ago, in which it was so arranged, that as the zinc volatilized, the vapour should be received, and condensed, in a separa.te ~¢~sel , leaving the melted metal, such as lead, and other impurities, in the former. Now the new process we have to describe, is an improvement upon the latter mode; it consists, firstly, in a peculiar treatment of the-ore, t)revious to its introduction into the fimlace; and sccondly~ in a peculiar arrangement of the retorts and other appendages, by whicha more con.venient mode of charging the retorts is obtained, and a purer metal is the result. The ores . are . first. to be . roasted in the ordinary, way,..bY-strait f ., .)'it~g them with fuel, and setting fire to the pile. I'he ore is next spread out in the air, and lixiviatcd, to Sel)arate the sulphate o1" zinc; it is next to be dried, pulverized, and roasted a second time, until the sulphm' is extricatedl when it should be powdered again, and mixed with an equal quantity of carbonaceous matters, such as powdered coal, charcoal, cinders, &c.; in this state it is to be saturated with an alkaline ley, or a solution of COlnmon salt; the solutions var)'ing, according to the nature of the ore. Calamine, or other oxides of zinc, will require only to be pulverized and calcined. With the ores prepared, as before mentioned, the retorts are to be chaNed; one of these is shown in perspective at a in the annexed figure; they are made of fire clay, or such earth as will best stand the heat of the furnace. To the front end of these retorts, are two apertures; the upper, circular, for the reception of the neck of an earthen head piece b; the lower, d, is square, for clearing out t)e residuums after working, which is closed during the distillation, b) a stopper, and luted. The head piece has likewise another tube litted to it, and luted, merely for the purpose of lengthening it, sutticiently to allow the vapour to cool as it descends, and to condense upon an iron-plate beneath, as shown in the lowest figure in the diagram; which represents a cross or vertical section of a reverberatory furnace, in which a double row of such retorts may be supposed to be arranged, with a long aperture between them where the tire is situated, which rests upon a grating over an arched passage, that communicates with the open air outside the building: this arched passage has a doori by the opening and shutting of which the heat of the furnace is regulated as may be required: and through one 0f the ends of this lol)g ~'urnacc an aperture is made for SUl)plying it with fuel.
Pale,zt for preparilzg Zinc.
262
The earthen head pieces, b b, it will be observed~ hax,e an aperture supplied with a stopper; through these openings~ the ore and carbon, prepared as befm'e mentioned, are introduced in sufficient quautity, by means of a ladle, into the body. of the retort; when the apertures are closed ,'rod luted. 'l'he operatmn of distillation then commences; the ziric which rises in. vapour passes into the head pieces~ b b, down the pipes c c, and fi~lls upon the ir(m plates beneath~ in a condensed state. .<
B Z the arrangement desc,'ibed, the head and neck of each retmt is placed in a s{luare recess or neck h~y itself, b), walls built out between ihelll, st) that each may be perfectly closet[ in~ b)' ~t door~ fl'om wall to wall. The doors are made of latticed wive work~ tbr the purpose of hohth~g clay when plastered over them~ tbr the purpose of etrectuallv coniinillg tile heat within the furnace; each of these doors.. has, a central eve.. hole, provided, also: with a. stotl~ mr, fin- watchmg the progress of the ~Teratmn, and tor enabhng the workmen to ddermine the degree of heat to be applied~ and ott'~er circum~iances. By another a r r a l l g e l n e l l { , tim Patentees propose to erect furmtces, ~iih several tiers d' cylindrical retorts~ placed one above am,ther, with their necks or heads projecting lmjond the front wall. The life. place is coveredby a low ;trch, to prevent the life acting too viuicntlj op,m the lowermost vessels; but through the arch, aperture.* are made for the circulatiml of the heated air among the vessels abo'~e,
Ii v,.