310 Cowles and Mdbery — On the Electrical Furnace and 



The time required for complete reduction was ordinarily about 

 an hour. 



The furnace at present in use is charged in substantially the 

 same manner, and the current is supplied by a Brush machine 

 of variable electromotive force driven by an equivalent of 

 forty horse-power. A Brush machine capable of utilizing 125 

 horse-power, or two and one-half times as large as any hitherto 

 constructed by the Brush Electric Company, is being made for 

 the Cowles Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company, and 

 this machine will soon, be in operation. Experiments already 

 made show that aluminum, silicon, boron, manganese, magne- 

 sium, sodium and potassium can be reduced from their oxides 

 with ease. In fact there is no oxide that can withstand tem- 

 peratures attainable in this electrical furnace. Charcoal in con- 

 siderable quantities is changed to graphite; whether this indi- 

 cates fusion or solution of carbon in the reduced metal has not 

 been fully determined. As to what can be accomplished by 

 converting enormous electrical energy into heat within a limited 

 space, it can only be said that it opens the way into an exten- 

 sive field for pure and applied chemistry. It is not difficult to 

 conceive of temperatures limited only by the capability of car- 

 bon to resist fusion. The results to be obtained with the large 

 Brush machine above mentioned will be of some importance 

 in this direction. 



Since the cost of the motive power is the chief expense in 

 accomplishing reductions by this method, its commercial suc- 

 cess is closely connected with the cheapest form of power to 

 be obtained. Eealizing the importance of this point the Cowles 

 Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company has purchased an 

 extensive and reliable water-power, and works are soon to be 

 erected for the utilization of 1200 horse-power. An important 

 feature in the use of these furnaces, from a commercial stand- 

 point, is the slight technical skill required in their manipula- 

 tion. The four furnaces in operation in the experimental lab- 

 oratory at Cleveland are in charge of two young men 20 years 

 of age who, six months ago, knew absolutely nothing of elec- 

 tricity. The products at present manufactured are the various 

 grades of aluminum bronze made from a rich furnace product 

 that is obtained by adding copper to the charge of ore, silicon 

 bronze prepared in the same manner, and aluminum silver, and 

 alloys of aluminum with several other metals. A boron bronze 

 may be prepared by the reduction of boracic acid in contact 

 with copper. 



As commercial results, may be mentioned a daily production 

 in the experimental laboratory averaging fifty pounds of 10 

 per cent aluminum bronze ; and it can be supplied to the 

 trade in large quantities at prices based upon $5 per pound for 



