Process for the continuous production of easily vaporizable metals

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCING VAPORIZABLE METALS WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING PULVERULENT, REDUCIBLE COMPOUNDS OF SAID METALS DOWNWARDLY INTO A SIDE WALL ENCLOSED REACTION ZONE, MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT HEAT AND PRESSURE IN SAID REACTION ZONE TO THERMALLY REDUCE THE COMPOUNDS AND VOLATILIZE THE METALS, COMPLETELY SHIELDING THE SIDE ENCLOSURE WITH A LAYER OF INERT PULVERULENT MATERIAL FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE REDUCIBLE COMPOUNDS DURING THE INTRODUCTION AND HEATING STEPS, PASSING THE VOLATILIZED METAL VAPORS UPWARDLY OUT OF THE REACTION ZONE TO BE CONDENSED AND COLLECTED, PASSING THE SOLIDS RESIDUE OF THE REDUCED COMPOUNDS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTION ZONE TO FORM A SUPPORTING PILE FOR ADDITIONALLY INTRODUCED VAPORIZABLE METAL COMPOUNDS, AND CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING RESIDUE FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID PILE WHILE MAINTAINING SAID PILE WITHIN SAID REACTION ZONE.