Method of producing metals by decomposition of halides

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A HIGH-MELTING-POINT METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, VANADIUM, CHROMIUM, AND HAFNIUM, IN A HGH STATE OF PURITY, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF VAPORIZING A HALIDE OF SAID METAL WHICH IS VOLATILIZABLE WITHOUT DECOMPOSITION AND DECOMPOSABLE AT A TEMPERATURE LESS THAN THE VOLATILIZATION TEMPERATURE OF SAID METAL, PROVIDING AN AIR-FREE ZONE BETWEEN A PAIR OF ELECTRODES, ONE OF SAID ELECTRODES COMPRISING A BODY OF SAID METAL, MAINTAINING A PORTION OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BODY OF METAL MOLTEN BY MEANS OF AN ARC BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, DIRECTING SAID VAPORIZED METAL HALIDE THROUGH SAID ARC AND AGAINST THE MOLTEN UPPER SURFACE OF SAID METAL BODY TO DECOMPOSE SAID METAL HALIDE TO SAID METAL AND TO COALESCE SAID PRODUCED METAL ON SAID MOLTEN SURFACE, AND SEPARATELY REMOVING FROM SAID ZONE SAID PRODUCED METAL AND THE GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF DECOMPOSITION, SAID GASEOUS DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS BEING REMOVED FROM SAID DECOMPOSITION ZONE AT A SUFFICIENT RATE TO MAINTAIN THE TOTAL PRESSURE OF THE INTRODUCED HALIDE AND THE REACTION PRODUCTS IN THE DECOMPOSITION ZONE BELOW ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.