US171747A - Improvement in ore-concentrators - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M. THOMPSON.

ORE GONCENTRATOR.

Patented J'an.4, 1876.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. THOMPSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN QRE-CONCENTRATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 71,747, dated January 4, 1876 application filed January 30, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: 1 Be it known that I, JAMES M. THOMPSON, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented an Improved Concentrator; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it mostnearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates toan improved machine for concentrating andlseparating the heavy particles of pulverized ore and other finely-divided substances from the lighter portions.

My machine can be used for concentrating either wet or dry material.

In order to illustrate my invention so that others will understand its construction and operation, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specifica- 7 tion, in whichopen-topped box or sluice-section pan B by means of the supportinglegs C C. This pan or sluice section may be constructed of either wood or metal; but I prefer to first construct a wooden pan with flaring sides and ends and then line it inside with sheet-copper or other suitable thin sheet metal, thus combining lightness, strength, and durability in its construction. 'The bottom of this tray or pan I construct sloping from each side to its middle, so as to provide a longitudinal chamber trough which inclines toward the front end of the pan, and into which the heavy particles will settle. The legs C which support the rear end of the pan are hinged or otherwise loosely attached to the bottom of the pan at their upper ends, and to the base A at their lower ends, while the legs C, which support the forward end of the tray or pan, are attached ina similar manner at their upper ends, while their lower ends are attached to the free end of a spring, 11, as shown, so that the weight of the forward end of the pan is supported by this spring. It will be necessary in some kinds and forms of concentrators to support them entirely on springs. A shaft, E, extends along underneath the middle of the pan B from end to end, hearing at suitable points in boxes supported by standards F, and extends far enough in advance of its forward end-to accommodate the necessary gearing and driving mechanism. An adjustable or double eccentric, g, is secured upon this shaft near each end of the pan, and a pendant or plate, h, depends from the bottom of the pan upon each side of both of the eccentrics,-so that-when the shaft is rota-ted the eccentrics will throw against the pendants upon each side alternately and give the pan an oscillatio'n from side to side. The oscillation can be made more or less variable or irregular by altering the shape of these eccentrics. Standards H I J are secured upon the base A in front of the pan at a short distance apart, the standard 11, which is nearest the pan, being somewhat lower than the other two. A spurwheel, K, is mounted upon a shaft, L, which bears in boxes upon the upper ends of the standards I J, and engages with a pinion, M, on the'shaft E beneath.

The spur-wheel K is thus supported at a point opposite the middle of the front endof the pan, and its face, which is toward the end of the pan, isv provided with an inclined rim, n, which gradually rises from a fixed point and extends around the wheel, ending by an abrupt offset,'(or more than one ofl'set can be made,) thus providing a circular track or inclined plane, as shown. A rod, 0, has one end so secured to the middle of the front end of the pan as to permit the pan to oscillate, and this rod extends far enough toward the wheel K to permit its opposite extremity'to bear against this inclined rim or track on the face ofth'e wheel. Thus, when the wheel .K'isrotated the cam or inclined track will push the rod and pan in a direction away from the wheel, until the end of the rod drops from the highest point of the incline and strikes or approaches near to the lowest point. Axbufl'erbeam, 12, extends forward from the front end of the pan far enough to strike against the upper end of the first or lowest standard B, when the pan moves forward again, after the end of the push-rod drops from the highest point of the inclined track, and thus produces a concussion which carries all the particles toward the front or discharge end of the pan. A spring, q, has it lower end secured to the base A, while its upper end bears against the rear end of the pan, so that it will move the pan forward, after each drop of the rod 0, with considerable force, or retard it as much as may be necessary to decrease the effect of theconcussion. I

The length of the push-rod 0 should be regulated so that the hinged legs 0 O, which support the forward end of the pan, will stand at an angle leaning toward the front endof the machine at all times when the end of the rod bears against the inclined track. When this is the case it is evident that the discharge or forward end of the pan will have a rising and falling, as well as a back and forth, motion, owing to thedifl'erence in the angle'of the legs as the pan moves back and forth, which will cause theconcussion to have also the effect of throwing down or precipitating the heavier particles of the pulp, while itis at the same time carrying all the particles toward the front or discharge end of the pan, thus acting with the current, instead of against it, as in all other concentrators of this description of which I have anyknowledge.

As the wheelK is several times larger than the pinion M on the shaft E, it is evident that the shaft E will make several rotations to one rotation of the wheel K, so that the pan will receive as many oscillations from side to side during each backward movement or concussion as the rotations of the shaftE exceed the rotations of the wheel K, and this diflerence can be easily regulated at will by varying the dimensions of these wheels; or if it should be desired to produce a very rapid oscillation, and but few concussions, aworm or screw can be substituted in the place of the pinion remained stationary, thus leaving a portion of the pan-surface inactive, or, at least, incapable of concentrating the particles; but, by my arrangements, theentire pan is oscillated bodily, thus giving motion to all the particles which it contains.

Across the rear end of the pan is the trough 11, into which the pulp or ore is deposited, and

through the screen or perforated bottom of which it passes into the pan. At the front .end of the pan is a waste oro'verflow trough,

which the weight of" the snlphurets, as they accumulate, will open a gate, so as to allow the overweight topass out, and thus retain a uniform quantity in the fan all of the time.

To do this I make an opening, g, at the middle of the forward-end,uearthe bottom, orat the lowest part, and across this openingI mount a gate, 1', by hingingone end to the side of the pan. The opposite end of the gate is formed into a goose-neck, which passes over the side of the pan, as shown. A rod, 8, connects the end'of this goose-neck with the base A, so that when a suflicient weight of sulphurets or heavy particles of ore accumulate in the forward end of the pan to cause the spring (1, upon which the forward legs 0 rest, to be depressed, the rod 8 will hold the gate firmly in place, so that theloweringor sinking down of the pan will uncover the opening q, and allow the excess of Sulphurets to pass out until the springs dagain lift the pan so as. to cause the gate to cover the opening.

Two or more openings can be made in the frontend'of the pan at different heights, and a single gate be employed to thus automatically open and close-them by making suitable openings in the gate,as shown. I can thus 1 of the middle channel, and to the under side of the pan I hinge one end of a gate, a, so

that it will cover the opening. .Tooperate this gate I extend a rod, V, from its free end forward, so as to strike a plate, w, which is fixed to the standard H. This plate is secured to the standard at an angle, and steps or benches are formed on its outer face, as shown, so that when the pan movesforward the rod will strike the plate 112 and open the gate. As

the height of this end of the pan is variable on account of the changing weight of sulphurets, which it supports or contains, the rod V will strike the plate at diiferentpoints of its length, accordin g to the amount of depression,

and each stroke forcesthe free end of the gate,

a backward away from the opening t, so as to allow the sulphurets to pass out. A cord or chain, as, againdraws the gate over the opening when the pan moves backward, thusclosing theopening and providing an intermittent discharge through the bottom of the pan.

Other devices could be employed by which the elevation or depression of thepan, caused giving it to the frame in which it rests. "the bottom of the pan I also make one or more ver, Q.

placed as to be caused to move across it by the elevation or depression of the pan, or the pan could be placed in a frame and made to rest on springs at its dischargeend, and be so adjusted in the frame that its dischargeopenings would be exactly opposite similar openings in the end of the frame when the accumulation of the sulphuret-s reaches its maximum, and the motion imparted to the pan by In cavities at a level below thelowest dischargeopening, to receive and retain any quicksilver which the pulp may contain. Each of the discharge-openings q q hasa spout leading outside of the pan, through which the sul- -phuret's are conveyed to a receptacle. The

longitudinal channel before described, which is formed by depressing the bottom from its sides toward its center, serves the triple purpose of collecting and directing the heavier particles toward their discharge-opening, and forms a cavity or depression, which will be constantly filled by a compact body of these heavier particles, and by which a flow of water out oftheir discharge-opening will be prevented. R R R are scrapers or stirrers, which are operated automatically by the back and forth movements of the pan. These scrapers are secured at intervals apart to a rod, T. The end of this rod to which'th'e scrapers or hoes are attached extends over the pan, while its opposite end passes through a slot in the vertical plate P, which extends upward from the. standard I, and through a hole in the plate P on the standard J, while its extremity is secured to one arm of a centrally-pivoted le- The extremity of the opposite arm ofthis leveris connected with the pan by a rod, B, so that as the panmoves back and forth the scrapers will begiven an opposite or raking movement. A plate, S, is secured to the spur-wheel K, so as to form an eccen-l --tr1c, which serves to lift these stirrers as the pan moves forward, and drop them as it moves backward, thus allowing them to rake the surface of the ore or pulp, and keep it moving to ward the outlet. This raking attachment will be especially useful when concentrating dry substances, as it will continually rake 0d the top or lighter portion, which is not affected as much by the concussion as the heavy parti-' cles, and which would in a wet concentrator be carried off by the water.

- By supporting the pan upon legs I dispense with the frame-work over the pan, which has been heretofore used in the construction of this class of concentrator, and by giving the legs an inclination forward I impart a downhill or descending movement to the pan when it moves forward, which aids in moving all By changing the angle or position of the legs, the descending or down-hill movement can be regulated as desired, and by lengthening or shortening, and giving the legs 0 G, which support the rear end of the pan,either more or less inclination than the legs 0 c, which support the front 01' discharge end, any desired variation in the relative height of the ends of the pan can be produced, theJmost rapid variation or undulation taking place during the forward movement of the pan, and just previous to the concussion, and by giving the legs 0 c, which support the rear end of the pan, more or less inclination opposite to that of the legs 0 'c, any desired elevation of the rear end of the pan can be produced during its forward movement, and a correthe curve which the upper end of the legs describes, and which is more or less abrupt in proportion to the length of the legs. The shorter these legs the more abrupt the curve. The same effect is produced when the pan is suspended by rods, except "that the curve described is just the oppositev to that'in which it moves when it is supported on flegs. This produces a very rapid rising and falling of the pan when it is actuated, which hasa disturbing effect on the particles of the pulp and interferes with the process of separation.

To avoid this disadvantage, I have discovered that the movements of the pan as it oscillates and vibrates must be instraight lines, and that its only elevation and depression must be during its back-and-forth motions,

which I call its longitudinal vibration, the elevation taking place, as before described, during the backward movement, and thedepression during the forward movement and just previous to theconcussion.

Various devices can be employed to sosu'pport or suspend the pan as to cause it to move in this manner; but the one I have found to be the best is that shown in the drawings a a. are round plates or flanges, which are secured to the upper ends of the legs 0 c, and the upper faces of which are rounded, so that these faces constitute segments or portions of a sphere, whose radius or semi-diameter is equal to the length of the legs measured from these faces to their lower ends. The upper ends of the legs project through the plates, and also fit loosely in holes in the inclines or platesb b, which are secured to the bottom of the pan. These plates are so adjusted to the pan that their faces can always be kept at.

rightangles to the legs.

. Now, it is evident that as the distances from the'lower endot' the legs to any point on the uppercnrved or spherical facesof the plates are exactly equal, that the pan as it is actu .ated and moves or rolls on the faces of these plates, will describe a straight line in any direction which it maybe moved, whichwill be a tangent to the curve described by the curved 1 3068101 the plates, and which will be at right angles to a straight linedrawnfromathe point at which the lower end of the legs rest to the ,point of contact between the curved faces of the plates orflanges a a and the faces of the,

plates or inclines b b.

It is evident that a pan being mounted in this or any other equivalent manner, and being placed in a level position, and the legs 0 c which support it being placed perpendicularly, would be kept during all its movements in a perfectly level plane, as its oscillation and vibrationswould bein lines which would always be'at right angles to the perpendicular position of thelegs, and consequently always horizontal, and the pan would be kept in a perfectly level position, and also at the same height all the time, and it is theneasily'understood thatif the supporting-legs c c are inclined from a perpendiculanand the faces of the inclines or plates b b adjusted atright angles to the legs,

that the pan would then in all its movements be keptin ,a plane which would be at right anglesto the inclination; of the legs'c 0. A Theconvexity ofthe faces of the platesa'a can Dedecre'ased or varied, so. as 130 give the pan any desired movement corresponding; to that which it would have if suspended by .ro s.

The armor rod 0 is hinged to the end of theipan, and passes. loosely through a hole in a .tratingpan B supported upon hinged legs 0 the upright plate 1), by which it is guided, s

' that it creates but little friction.

It will be noticed that the concussion and flow of water in the pan will bein the same direction, instead ofin opposite directions, as

, heretofore, thusgreatly facilitating the operation of settling the heavy particles, and carrying them, as well as all the particles,toward their discharge-openings.

. By. this arrangement, the two'forces which are employed to efi'ect the separation and discharge of the particles contained in thepulp are caused to act together and aid each other, and the niceadjustment is notrequired as is necessary inconcentrators where the force of the concussion is alone depended upon to carry the heavier particles in a direction op-' .oposite to the flow of thewater,and where the force of the water or current'is alone depended upon to'carry the lighter particles in a directionopposite to the effect of the concussion.

Instead of placing the driving-shaft E below the middle of the pan, the shaft couldbe placed1 near its .side, and where two or more above described.

pans are to be used side by side, one shaft could bevplaced between them so as toserve for both pans, and impart the oscillatory movement to the pan by pitmen, and the ooncna sion by neans of rag wheels and chains,instead of *piuions, or-by means of a single camwheel and centrallypivoted arms or elbows with one of each of their ends bearing against the faceofthe incline or eam,-and the other being loosely attached or hinged to the endlof thepushu odo. no r V o 1..

The outer wooden panisfor supportingthe inner pan, which is madeof sheet-copper, @or other metal or alloy capableof being plated with silver, copper, orflquicksilver. @This inside pan, having the supportof the outside wooden pa'n, can be madeof very light and thin material. f i no i If desired, thewooden. sides canbe dispensed with, as hereinbefore stated, anda simple wooden bottom alone be employed.

The bottom can be madeof thick aplank, and theend next to the bumper or cam can be narrowed and extended beyond theend of the pan, soas torreceive the blow of the concussion. a a l By having an outer wooden pan the additional advantage is gained of being able to "secure the pan more firmly to t-he bottom or .timber which roceives the blow of theconcussimnand-thus prevent the troublexwhich, by the ordinary arrangement, is encountered by the wear of the boltsintheir holes in alpan constructed entirely of metal occasioned by the continual jarring which thewpan. is subjected to, and which causes theholes towear larger and {the bolts and. pan to become loose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to seeurelby Letters Patcut, is-- n n r l, The vibrating" and nndulatingconcen- 2. The concentrator 'Bfmountedfor suspend- ;edon the springs d d, which cause its elevation to varyin proportion to-the accumulation of the heavier particles in it,in combination with l the gate or, by: whichtheelevation or-defpressionof the pan regulates the size lof the discharge-opening. o r

3. In combination with a vibrating concentrator, an automatic intermittent discharge,

consisting of a pivoted gate, u, operated through a rod, V,and cord as, and causedby the back and forth movements of the pan to alternately open and close the dischargeopening, and in combination with thesprinjgs d d and plate to to regulatethedischarge, substantially as described,

4. .In combination with a vibrat ng concen trator, B, an automaticrakeorscrapers, B

R R, operated by the'movements of the concentrator by means of the pivoted lever same end of the pan.

6. A concentrating pan or sluicesection mounted or suspended on flexible bearings,

which are provided with the plates a a, having spherical faces, in combination with the adjustable plates 1) b secured to the bottom of the pan, by which the pan is caused to move in planes either horizontal or inclined, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

JAMES MONROE THOMPSON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG, O. M. RICHARDSON.

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