Method of producing refractory metals

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING TITANIUM WHEREIN A LOWER HALIDE OF TITANIUM IS DISSOLVED IN A FUSED SALT BATH AND IS REDUCED TO TITANIUM CRYSTALS BY MEANS OF A METALLIC REDUCING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METALS AND THE ALKALINE EARTH METALS, THE MOLTEN SALT COMPRISING A HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METAL HALIDES AND THE ALKALINE EARTH METAL HALIDES, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONFINING THE FUSED SALT BATH IN A METAL-WALLED REACTOR, ADDING MOLTEN REDUCING AGENT TO A LIMITED PORTION OF THE FUSED SALT BATH, PREVENTING PASSAGE OF REDUCING AGENT VAPORS FROM THE LIMITED PORTION TO THE SPACE ABOVE THE REMAINDER OF THE BATH BY MEANS OF A VAPOR BARRIER, AND ELECTRICALLY INSULATING THE METAL REACTION CHAMBER WALLS FROM THE VAPOR BARRIER.