US519217A - Process of converting and smelting precious ores - Google Patents

Description

T N OFFICE.

CHARLES M. ALLEN, on BUTTE, MONTANA.-

PROCESS OF CONVERTINGANDSMELTING pnaclous ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,217, dated May 1, 1894. l

Application filed April 18, 1893- Seria1No.4'70,826. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern..-

l 3eit known that I, CHARLES M. ALLEN,a c tizen of the United States, residing at Butte city, Montana, have invented certain new and I useful Improvements in Processes of Converting and Smelting Precious Ores,of which the followingis a specification. I

My Invention .relates particnlarly to the converting and smelting of gold, silver, and

precious ores which require high degrees of temperature to reduce to a molten condition, and has for its object the providing of a simple, economical and efficient processfor convert ng and smelting precious metals in a continuous operation.

To this end it consists, in first reducing the raw material to amoltencondition in a suitable converter, by subjecting it to ari'intense heat and blast of air, then changing the position of the molten material in the converter so as to remove it from the action of the air, drawing off adesired quantity of such molten maternal of the gravity desired, changing the remain ng molten material backto its original posltion and adding a sufficient quantity of new material, subjecting such mixture to The the direct action of a blast of whole mixture has again been reduced to a molten condition, again changing the position of the molten material and removing it from the action of the blast of air and drawing off the quantity of molten metal desired.

In carrying out my process I prefer to use a converter having the usual converting or smelting chamber, andwhich may or may-not be provided with water jackets as desired. converter should be mounted on hollow trunnions and have its upper open end en terlng a dust chamberwhich has proper commumcationor connection with a smoke stack. Through one of the hollow trunnions should be introduced a blast pipe through which a 3 blast or current of air can be conveyed in and through a continuation of the same, leadmg suchblas't or current of air to the lower air until the end of the converter which is provided with a set of tuyeres entering the converting chamber for the purpose of subjecting the molten metal to the action of the air and raising its temperature to such a point as Will melt any raw material that is added, the tuyeres being so arranged that when the position of converter is changed'they are raised above thesurface of any molten material that may be contained in the converting chamber, so that such molten material is not subjected to a current or blast of air sothat its temperature is further raised, but which allows such current of air to pass over such surface of molten material and out through the opposite end ofthe converter. The converter should have a suitable tap through which the desired quantity of the molten metal can be drawn ofi.

In using my process I prefer to have my converter in its original upright vertical position and build a fire therein subjecting the same to a blast of air to raise the temperature and obtain the intense heat necessary to re- I duce the gold, silver, or other precious metals to a molten condition. I then add the desired quantity of precious ores to be melted to such converter and thoroughly melt the mixture. The converter is then tipped or its position changedso that the molten mass is removed from the action of the blast of air and allowed to cool to the desired temperature, so that the quantity of the molten metal of the gravity desired, may be drawn oft through a suitable tap. The converter is then changed back to its original position, new raw material added and the mixture subjected to the action of a blast of air until it has been sufficiently melted when it is again removed from the action of the blast of air and such quantity of the molten material drawn oh as may be desired. These successive casts, addition of raw material and blasts are repeated as often as may be desired, all from the first initial meltingof the material and do not require the starting of anew fire or the addition of molten material to continue the same,but providing one continuous process for the smelting or converting of precious ores. It will be understood that it is expected that there is sufiicient sulphur in the ores treated to supply the requisite amount of fuel for their melting after the first charge hasbeen ignited. I claim- The process of smelting and converting precious metals, which consists in supplying raw material to material in a converter a1- ready in a molten eondition,subjecting the then restoring the remaining portion to its old and new material to the action of a blast original position to receive additional raw of air until a desired quantity is in a molten condition, changing the position of the molten material in the converter to remove it from the action of the blast of air, drawing off a desired quantity of the molten material, and

material, substantially as described.

CHARLES M. ALLEN. Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, SAMUE E. HIBBEN.