US1136485A - Flotation-machine. - Google Patents

Description

C. E. RORK.

FLOTATION MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I0, 1914.

Patented 13411120, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FLOTA'IION-MACEINE.

maddest.

Specification of Letters Patent.

racemes Apr. senate.

Application filed September 10, 1914. Serial No. 861,061.

To all whom it may. concemr Be it known that l, CnARLEs E. Roan, citizen of the United States, residing at Douglas, in the county of Cochise and State of Arizona, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flotation-Machines, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to new'and useful improvements in flotation separators of the type employed for separating sulfid minerals from a pulp of the gangue material of their ores, the primary object of my invention being the provision, in connection with a single settling tank, of a plurality of separate agitation chambers for the successive treatment of the pulp, each agitation chamber having its own paddle wheel or agitator.

A further object of my invention is to provide a separator of the above described character in which all of the a 'tators are mounted upon a single driven s aft and in which the pulp is automatically. fed from one agitation chamber to the next, the feeding being accomplished partially by gravity and partially by the action of the paddles or agitators. 1

A further object of my invention is the construction of a separator in which the pulp passes from the settling tank into the agitation chambers at a level below its normal level in the settling tank and in which the aerated pulp is discharged from the, agitation chambers above the level in the settling tank being however, forced to flow down beneath the level in such tank by suit-. ably arranged battles-which also serve to prevent the setting up of cross currents in the pulp'liquid contained in the settling chamber.

A. still further object of thy invention consists in providing the settling tank. at

either side, with overflow lips discharging into longitudinally extending launders.

A still further objectof my invention is to provide a novel form of regulating valve for controlling the discharge of pulp from the agitation chambers into the settling chamber. 7

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then more specifically pointed out in the" claims which are attached to and term a part of this application.

LInthe drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan v1ew of my 1Inproved flotation separator, showing it with the top or cover portion of the agitation chambers removed; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l, with the top or cover in place; ,Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the agitation chambers, together with their top and, cover, the settling chamber structure being broken away to show such parts. Corresponding and like parts-are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved flotation separator includes a supporting base or bed 10 of any suitable design and material carrying a settling chamber, indicated as a whole by thenumeral 11. This settling chamber" includes vertically disposed end walls 12 and 13, a horizontal bottom wall 14; and side walls 15 and 16, being substantially rectangular in shape, save for the fact that the side walls are inclined inwardly toward their lower ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the draw- 'ings. Furthermore, the side walls terminate at a level below the upper edges of the end walls and are provided with outwardly and downwardly inclined flanges 17 forming overflow lips. Launders 18 and 19, in the form of shallow open troughs, are disposed immediately below the free edges of the overflow lips 17, at either side of the settling chamber, being closed at one end and leading at their other end to hny suitable point of discharge, these launders, serving to convey away the separated mineral.

That end wall 13, adjacent the discharge ends of the launders, is also provided with a discharge opening 20 through which the tailings may pass. Longitudinally extending false bottom members 21 and 22 hear at their lower edges against the lower portions of the side walls 15 and 16, respectively, and project upwardly and inwardly toward each other to support a plurality of alined, longltudinally extending agitation chambers, indicated as a whole by the numeral 23. These agitation chambers are preferably substantially octagonal in vertical cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, although they may be circular in cross section or formed with any number of polygonal side walls as deemed expedient. In any event, each side of one is either formed integry with or constructed to form continuations of the corresponding sides of the others, in effect .a single longitudinal chamber being formed which is subsequently divided into a plurality of chambers by transverse partition walls 24. Furthermore, this sectionalized agitation chamber is formed in a lower portion and upper portion 26 hingedly connected as shown at 27 in order that the upper or cover portion may be turned back to expose the paddles or agitators mounted in the chambers. Preferably, that end of the agitation chamber, adjacent the end wall 13 ot' the settling chamber, is spaced somewhat from such wall to PI'OVldfi'fOI-t communication between opposite sides of the settling chamber, while the other end of the agita tion chamber either bears against the other end wall or the other end wall is utilized as an end wall for the agitation chamber, as shown in Fig. l.

The supporting base or, bed of the machine is provided at op osite ends with alined bearings 28 to receive a driven shaft 29 having a pulley wheel 30 about which is trained a drive ulley 31. This shaft ex tends centrally o the agitation chamber, the partition walls of which are cut-away to receive it and carries in each'agitation chamber an agitator 32, preferably in the form of a paddle wheel including a hub 33 having radially extending blades 34. These blades, for thebetter agitation of the pulp, may-be perforated as shown at 35 in Figs. 1 and 2, or their ends may be notched, serrated or otherwise formed as shown at 36 in Fig. 1 to provide teeth or fingers. The top or cover portion 26 of the agitation chamber is provided throughout its length, and in its upper face, with a longitudinal opening 37 through which the sulfid minerals may be discharged, this opening being closed by a cap 38 spaced vertically thercabove and supported by upwardly extending flanges 39 and 40 at either side of the opening 37, these flanges being alternately cut-away as shown at 41 to permit discharge of'the pulp from the compartments of the agitation chamber. Each of the flanges, at either side of each of the cut-away portions 41, is provided with outwardly, dirccted'shoulders 42 which are continued downwardly over the sides of the upper member or cover 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to meet outwardly extending shoulders 43 formed upon the loweror body portion 25 of the agitation chamber and in vertical alinement with the shoulders 42, the shoulders 43 extending below the liquid level in the settling tank 11. The shoulders 43 are connected by a plate 44 to form in effect a spout and the shoulders 42, throughout the lower portion of their extent. are also connected by a plate 45 forming an upper continuation of such spout.

. income The hinges 27 connecting the cover and body of the agitation chamber are attached to these plates. Each of the openings 41, whih in effect merge with the discharge openings '37 of the agitation chamber, is provided with an adjustable closure 46 including a sliding plate 47 mounted in guideways 48 formed in the cap 38 and provided with a downwardly directed valve gate 49 which, by reciprocation of the plate 47, may be moved to either completely close the adjacent opening or to open the same to any desired extent. The construction'ot these gate valves will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

liongitudinally extending baflie members 50 and 51 project from the opposite sides of the lower or body portion of the. agitation chamber in parallel spaced relation to the false bottom members 21 and 22, respectively, in such a manner that pul discharged through the spouts tormed by the shoulders 42 and 43, together with their closure plates 44 and 45, will be deflected outwardly toward the side walls of the settling tank. Each compartment of the agitation chamber is provided below one or the other of these baflies with an inlet 0 ening 52, such opening, in each instance, being formed in that side of the chamber opposite the discharge opening 37.

In operation, the pulp containing the ore to be treated, which has been previously reduced to requisite fineness, with water in suitable proportions andwith some rea ent material, the whole forming-the freely owing pulp, is fed into the agitation chamber or one of the compartments thereof, preferably the one at the end opposite the tailings outlet of the settling'tank. The pulp in the first compartment will be agitated and thereby aerated and subsequently splashedv out by the paddle blades through the discharge opening of such compartment ot the agitation chamber in the settling tank. its passage into the settling tank will, of course, be through the spout leading from the discharge openin through which it passes and the discharge pulp will be directed below the liquid level in the settling chamber. The particles of mineral, to which air films are attached, will consequently rise to the surface and float oil over one or the other of the discharge lips into the adjacent launder. The pulp remaining in the settling chamber, after this operation, together with what mineral it may contain, which has not yet been separated, settles toward the bottom of the settling tank and flows into the next compartjnent of the agitation chamber by gravity. The agitating and discharge of pul from this second chamber is identical wit that previously described, the pulp being again discharged into the settling chamber and a portion of its mineral contents floated too lllll ofl. This operation is repeated untilultimately the pulp is discharged from the last chamber and such pulp, from which the mineral has now been extracted, passes ed as tailings through the outlet port of the settling chamber. 7

The agitation chamber as a whole may be formed in as many compartments or cham-' hers as desired, the number of such chambers depending upon the type of pulp being treated and the percentage of its mineral which must be extracted. The length of time required for the passage of the pulp through the flotation separator may be va- 5. ried at will by proper adjustment of the gate valves and'this variation will, of course, aflect the amount of the contained mineral which will be separated.

that each section of the agitation chamber has a larger section of the tank to discharge into than would otherwise be possible-without unduly expanding the sections of the agitation chamber or without spacing them from each other. This will be appreciated by reference to Fig. 1, in which an agitation chamber of six sections is shown, each sec tion having its own settling chamber section to'discharge into. As will be seen by referring to this figure, each of the sections of the settling chamber is larger than would be possible if they were all on the same side of. the agitation chamber as a whole. I

As previously stated, the upper edges ofthe partition walls53 are spaced below the overflow lips of the settling tank and, therefore, below the liquid level in the tank. Be-

cause of this arrangement of partition walls.

and also because 0 the tact that one end of the agitation chamber is spaced from one end of the settling tank, there is direct communication for the liquid through all parts of the settling tank, thisinsuring more uniform' flotation of the separated mineral bearin material.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. X flotation se arator including a settling tank provide at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and partially im mersed in the tank and divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet opening and at its upper end with a discharge opening, the inlet and discharge openin s ofeach compartment being opposltely isposed to those of adjacentcompartments, and agitators mounted one in each compartment. I

2. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its sides' with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and partially immersed in the tank and divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet opening and at its upper end with a discharge opening above the liquid level, the inlet and discharge openings of each compartment being oppositely disposed to those of adjacent compartments, agitators mounted one in each compartment, and valves controlling the size of the discharge openings. 3. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and partially immersed in the tank and divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet opening and at its upper end with a discharge opening above theliquid level, the inlet and discharge openings of each compartment being oppositely disposed to those of adjacent compartments, agitators mounted one in each compartment, valves controlling the size of the. discharge openings, and spouts leading from the discharge openings to points below the liquid level in the settling tank.

4. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and artially immersed in the tank and divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet openposed to those of adjacent compartments,

agitators mounted one in each compartment, valves controlling the size of the discharge openings, spouts leading fromthe discharge openings to points below the liquid level in the settling tank, and bailles spaced below the discharge ends of the spouts to deflect the discharged matter outwardly toward the sides of the tank. v

5. A flotation separator including a set tling tank provided at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and partially immersed in the tank and divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet opening and at its upper end with a discharge opening, the inlet and discharge openings of each compartment being oppositely disposed to those of adjacent compartments, agitators mounted one in each compartment, valves controlling the size of the discharge openings, spouts leading from the discharge 0 )enings to points below the liquid level in the settling tank, and batiies disposed below the discharge ends of the spouts to deflect the discharged matter outwardly toward the sides of the tank, one end of the agitation chamber being spaced from the discharge end of the tank.

6. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its side with overflow lips, an agitation chamber spaced from the sides of the tank and partially immersed in the tank and divided-into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being provided near its lower end with an inlet opening and at its upper end with a discharge opening, the inlet and discharge openings of each compartment being oppositely disposedto those of adjacent compartments, agitators mounted one in each compartment, valves controlling the size of the discharge openings, spouts leading from the dischar e openings to points below the liquid level 1n the settling tank, baflies disposed below the discharge ends of the spouts to deflect the discharged matter outwardly toward the sides of the tank, and a plurality of transverse walls forming divisions in the settling tank, these .walls being arranged to cause the discharge pulp from one compartment to be drawn into the next compartment. 7

7. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber extending longitudinally and centrally of the tank being partially immersed thereinand divided into a plurality of transverse compartments, each compartment being provided at one side with an inlet opening near its bottom and at its other side with an outlet openin near its top, such openings being reverse y arranged in adjacent compartments, partitions in the settling tank forming chambers which communicate with one inlet and one outlet opening, and an agitator mounted in each compartment of the agitation chamber.

8. A flotation separator including a settling tank provided at its sides with overflow lips, an agitation chamber extending mamas longitudinally and centrally of the tank being partially immersed therein and divided into a plurality of transverse compartments, each compartment being provided at one 'side with an inlet opening near its bottom and at its other side with an outlet opening near its top, such openings being reversely arranged in adjacent compartments, partitions in the settling tank forming chambers which communicate with one inlet and one outlet opening, a shaft extending longitudinally through the agitation chamber, and a pluralit of blades extending radially from the s iaft and arranged in groups, one group in each compartment, the blades. lying in planes parallel to the axis of the shaft.

9. A flotation separator including a settling tank havin downwardly converging side walls provided at their upper edges with overflow lips, a false bottom in the tank includin members extending from the lower edges of the side walls upwardly and inwardly toward each other, an agitation chamber supported upon the false bottom and extending longitudinally of the settling tank, said agitation chamber being divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment having, an inlet opening adjacent one of the false bottom members and an outlet opening adjacent its top and above the liquid level in the settling chamber, dis charge spouts leading from the outlet openings to a level below the surface of the liquid in the settling chamber, and battle members disposed below the lower ends of the discharge spouts and extending in parallel spaced relation to the false bottom members.

10. A fiotationseparator including a settling tank, an agitation chamber partially immersed in the tank, a rotary agitator mounted in the chamber with its up i r ortion projecting above the liquid leve l of the tank, the chamber being provided with an inlet opening below the agitator and with an out et openin above the agitator, and a discharge spout leading from the outlet opening into the settling tank at a'point below the liquid level therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. Roux. 1.8.

'Witnesses I AUG. SANDBERG, a CHARLES F. NICHOLS.

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