Iron ore reduction process

Claim 1

AN IRON ORE REDUCTION PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A BURDEN COMPRISING IRON OXIDE ORE, COAL, AND FLUX DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A PAIR OF SUPERIMPOSED UPPER AND LOWER REACTION ZONES, SUPPLYING HEAT TO THE UPPER ZONE AND EFFECTING CARBONIZATION OF SAID COAL DURING PASSAGE OF THE BURDEN THROUGH SAID UPPER ZONE, REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN SAID UPPER ZONE SO AS TO MAINTAIN AN INCREASING TEMPERATURE GRADIENT IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE BURDEN THROUGH SAID UPPER ZONE WHEREBY TO PREVENT DEPOSITION OF TARS AND OILS IN SAID UPPER ZONE, PASSING HEATED AIR UPWARDLY THROUGH THE LOWER ZONE IN COUNTERCURRENT CONTACT WITH THE DOWNWARDLY PASSING BURDEN AND EFFECTING REDUCTION OF THE IRON OXIDE IN SAID LOWER ZONE, WITHDRAWING MOLTEN IRON FROM SAID LOWER ZONE, WITHDRAWING CARBONIZATION GASES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID UPPER ZONE, WITHDRAWING REDUCTION GASES UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID LOWER ZONE, AND REMOVING A COMBINED GAS STREAM AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE JUNCTURE BETWEEN SAID ZONES.