Process and apparatus for the production of metallic carbides and metallic silicides

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METALIC CARBIDES AND METALLIC SILICIDES THAT COMPRISES; SUPPLYING ON A CONTINUOUS BASIC FROM ABOVE, METAL-CONTAINING CHARGE MATERIAL TOGETHER WITH A CHARGE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBONACEOUS AND SILICIOUS MATERIALS TO EACH OF A PLURALITY OF CONTIGUOUS ARC-SUSTAINED HIGH-TEM PERATURE REACTION ZONES MAINTAINED IN SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ALIGNMENT WITHIN AN ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE PROVIDED WITH A MOVABLE CONVEYOR-TYPE HEARTH; ARC-MELTING THE CHARGE MATERIALS AND CONTINUOUSLY FORMING REACTION PRODUCT OF THE CHARGE MATERIALS WITHIN EACH OF SAID HIGH-TEMPERATURE REACTION ZONES; CONTINUOUSLY FORMING REACTION PRODUCT OF MUS PRODUCED BY MEANS OF THE MOVABLE HEARTH AWAY FROM THE RESPECTIVE REACTION ZONE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW ALONE THE LINEAR PATH OF SAID REACTION ZONES FOR EVENTUAL RECOVERY FROM SAID HEARTH OUTSIDE THE FURNACE; REACTION ZONES IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF REACTION REACTION ZONE IN THE DIRECTION OF MEOVEMENT OF REACTION PRODUCT AT ASCENDING STEPPED OPERATING LEVELS WITHIN THE FURNACE;WHEREBY THE REACTION PRODUCT FORMED IN ONE HIGH-TEMPERATURE REACTION ZONE,IN MOVING TOWARDS EVENTUAL RECOVERY OUTSIDE THE FURNACE, IS PASSED BENEATH SUCCESSIVE CONTIGUOUS REACTION ZONES AT DISTANCES REMOVED FROM THE DIRECT INFLUENCE OF TH HIGH-TEMPERATURES OF SAID SUCCESSIVE ZONES AND EFFECTIVELY INCULATED THEREFROM BY OVERLYING CHARGE MATERIALS SUPPLIED TO AND UNDERGOING REAXTION WITHIN SAID ZONES IN THE FORMATION OF ADDITONAL QUANTITIES OF REACTION PRODUCT.