Apparatus for smelting zinciferous material comprising an electric furnace

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATELY RECOVERING METALLIZ ZINC AND IRON FROM A MIXTURE CONTAINING ZINC OXIDE, CARBON REDUCIBLE IRON COMPOUND, AND ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE REACTION CARBON COMPRISING A FURNACE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED RETORT CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LINING AND HAVING A CHARGING PORT FOR SAID CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH AN UPWARDLY FACING ENTRANCE OPENING, MEANS FOR CHARGING SAID CHAMBER WITH THE MIXTURE COMPRISING A DISCHAGE MEANS PRESENTING A DOWNWARDLY FACING OPENING, A MOVABLE CARRIER FOR SAID FURNACE HAVING A POSITIOR ON MOVEMENT IN WHICH SAID UPWARDLY FACING OPENING OF SAID CHARGING PORT IS POSITIONED BELOW SAID DOWNWARDLY FACING OPENING OF SAID DISCHARGE MEANS IN REGISTRY THEREWITH WHEREBY SAID CHAMBER MAY BE CHARGED WITH THE MIXTURE, A CONDENSER FOR CONDENSING ZINC VAPORS TO LIQUID ZINC, WHICH CONDENSER HAS AN INLET CONDUIT PRESENTING A DOWNWARDLY FACING INLET OPENING, THE CARRIER HAVING A SECOND POSITION OF MOVEMENT IN WHICH SAID ENTRANCE OPENING OF SAID CHARGING PORT IS POSITIONED BELOW SAID INLET OPENING OF SAID CONDENSER INLET CONDUIT IN REGISTRY THEREWITH, ELECTRIC CIRCUIT MEANS FOR INDUCING A HIGH FREQUENCY HEATING CURRENT IN THE REACTION CARBON OF THE CHARGED MIXTURE FOR REACTING THE ZINC OXIDE AND IRON COMPOUND OF THE MIXTURE WITH THE REACTION CARBON TO PRODUCE VAPOROUS ZINC AND MOLTEN IRON AND DISCHARGE THE VAPOROUS ZINC INTO SAID CONDENSER WHEN SAID ENTRANCE OPENING OF SAID CHARGING PORT IS IN REGISTRY WITH SAID INLET OPENING OF SAID CONDENSER INLET CONDUIT AND FOR ALSO INDUCING A HIGH FREQUENCY HEATING CURRENT IN SAID LINING FOR AUGMENTING THE HEATING OF THE MIXTURE AND FOR MAINTAINING THE IRON MOLTEN UPON DEPLETION OF THE REACTION CARBON OF THE MIXTURE.