Apparatus for recovery of metallic zinc from dross

Claim 1

Apparatus for recovering metallic zinc from dross discharged from a zinc melting furnace, comprising: a. a saucer-like container for receiving dross, said container having a generally truncated conical bottom with an opening through the truncated apex; b. a vertical rotary shaft extending into said container; c. a plurality of agitating scraper plates attached to said rotary shaft so as to rotate therewith within said container and separate metallic zinc from the dross; d. a plug having a hollow, cylindrical shape inserted into the opening through the bottom of the container; e. attachment means to attach said plug to the bottom of the container such that it may be removed from the opening to allow drainage of the secondary dross, from which the zinc has been removed, from the container; f. a rotor attached to the lowermost end of said rotary shaft, the lowermost portion of the rotor and the uppermost portion of said plug defining a slight aperture so as to allow only the passage of separated zinc between the rotor and the plug and, subsequently, through the hollow plug. g. wherein the scraper plates provide a clearance sufficient to form a thick insulating and protective layer of dross along the wall of the container between the wall of the container and each scraper plate whereby said insulating and protective layer of dross, formed at said wall, prevents corrosion of said wall by the molten metallic zinc and maintains the temperature of the dross within the separator.