Method of producing titanium

Claim 1

IN A MULTI-STAGE PROCESS FOR MAKING METALLIC TATANIUM INVOLVING LOW TEMPERATURE REDUCTION OF TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE WITH ELEMENTAL ALKALI METAL, OF THE GROUP CONSISTNG OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM AND NAK ALLOY, DISPERSED THROUGHOUT A MANY TIMES GREATER WEIGHT BULK OF FINELY DIVIDED SUBSTANTIALLY FREE-FLOWING SOLID CARRIER MATERIAL OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI METAL CHLORIDE, METALLIC TITANIUM AND MIXTURES THEREOF, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING DISPERSING ELEMENTAL ALKALI METAL IN LIQUID FORM ON THE CARRIER MATERIAL IN A DISPERSING ZONE WHICL HELD AT TEMPERATURE SUCH AS TO MAINTAIN ALKALI METAL IN LIQUID FORM AND HIGH ENOUGH TO INSURE ABSENCE OF SOLID ALKALI METAL AND WHILE MAINTAINING THE ABSENCE OF TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE, THEREAFTER TRANSFERRING THE THUS DISPERSED ELEMENTAL ALKALI METAL AND CARRIER MATERIAL THEREOF FROM SAID DISPERSING ZONE INTO A SEPARATE REACTION ZONE WHILE IN THE ABSENCE OF ALKALI METAL FROM SOURCE OTHER THAN SAID DISPERSING ZONE AND WHILE FEEDING TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE IN VAPOR FORM INTO SAID REACTION ZONE AND WHILE MAINTAINING THEREIN MODERATELY ELEVATED TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE FUSION POINT OF THE CHLORIDE OF THE REDUCING ALKALI METAL BUT HIGH ENOUGH TO EFFECT PRODUCTION OF A REACTION MASS COMPRISING METALLIC TITANIUM AND ALKALI METAL CHLORIDE, AND DISCHARGING SAID REACTION MASS FROM SAID REACTION ZONE, THE ENTIRE FOREGOING OPERATION BEING CARRIED OUT IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE.