US1170286A - Launder-classifier. - Google Patents

Description

EUNHED sra'rns "P T orr rcn.

GORDON LAN or S ATTLE, WASHINGTON, AssIGNon T0 LEIGH TON HOWARD SMITH, or SEATTLE, .WASI-IINGTON.

LAUNnER-oLAssIFrER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

- Application filed January 24, 1914. Serial No. 814,202.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GORDON LAND, citizen of the United States, residing .at Seattle, WVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Launder-Classifiers,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the hydraulic classification of metalliferous ores when reduced to finely divided particles, and consists essentially in a classifier unit that may be used in sequence attached to a trough or launder into which each unit discharges certain material to be again classified,the classifications becoming closer in each succeeding unit.

The invention consists as well in providing a classifier wherein all the fine mineral particles, such as float gold, are completely submerged and in having the pulp and assorting channels placed at an angle greater than the angle of repose.

With these and other objects in view, the invention includes the features of construction, and arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claim, it being understood that I do not intend to limit myself with regard to the details of the different parts of my invention.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a sectional side view of two of my classifying units applied to a launder box, and Fig. 2 shows a sectional front view of the assorting channel and its clear water inlet.

In the drawings, the ordinal 3 indicates the launder boX in which is a baflie board t for directing the flow of the water and its pulp into the downtake pulp channel 5 of the classifier. 6 meets the downtake channel 5 in a V, as shown in Fig. 1, and both of the channels are placed at an incline greater or steeper than the angle of repose so that the material passing through these channels can never maintain repose upon the bottom or sides of these channels. This causes even the finest particles in the downtake channel to pass immediately to the assorting channel 7 which is substantially a reduced continuation of the discharge channel 6 and has the same angle of inclination. The channels 5 and 6 are preferably rectangular tubes. 'The assorting channel 7 contracts from its top 8 The discharge pulp channel to its rectangular throat 9 andthen. expands to its connectionwith the clear water pipe 10 as shown in Fig. 2. This water pipe 10 has a valve 11 for controlling the inlet of water thereinto and is arranged at right angles to the assorting channel 7. At a lower point in this pipe than the entrance of the assorting channel is an outlet 12 for the heavier concentrates which may be con trolled by a gate valve, not shown. Extending upwardly from the termination of the pipe 10 is a smaller pipe or gooseneck 13 through which concentrates may overflow. The two classifying units shown in Fig. 1 are similar in construction and accordingly their parts are similarlynumbered.

In operation the water in the launder with its pulp is diverted into the channel 5 by the bafiie board 4. The heavier particles tend to deposite upon the lower surfaces of both the down and uptakejubes but the steep inclination of these tubes causes them to slip gradually down into the throat of the assorting channel, where they encounter an upward flow of clear water from the pipe 10. With the assorting channel at the same angle as the discharge channel, the upwardly moving column of water from the pipe 10 separates the lighter particles and forces them up the discharge channel, and into the launder box, while the heavier particles fall through the throat of the assorting channel into the pipe 10 wherein some settle down to the opening 12 from whence they may be withdrawn and some may be continued out through the gooseneck 13 by pressure of the water in the pipe 10. The fineness of the concentrates passing through the assorting channel is variable with the pressure of water flowing upward through the assorting channel so that any desired size may be secured at the discharge opening 12 by adjusting the valve 11 to regulate the pressure of water in the pipe 10 and the assorting channel 7. The downward contraction of the channel 7 provides for a gradual vertical decrease of current from the narrowest point and the inclined side walls of the contracted portion and the side wall opposite the feed inlet 5 provide for a gradual presentation of material to a. gradual increasing force of water current, giving it oppor tunity to take up and carry off lighter particles which otherwise might be mechanically carried down by heavier particles.

The discharge from the first classifier, after passing into the launder box, is again diverted by a baflie board into the downtake channel of another similar classifier and the former operation is repeated except that the pressure of the upward flow of clear water through the asserting channel is regulated to be slightly less than the preceding one, and slightly closer concentrates are consequently received from this classifier than the former one, and so on. with each succeeding classifying unit used, giving a dif ferent recovery than theprececung one.

I claim as my invention In combination in an ore classifier, an assorting channel inclined at an angle to the vertical, a discharge channel in alinement therewith and opening into said assorting channel at its lower end, the lower walls of the two channels lying in a common plane, said assorting channel having its side walls converging inwardly to form a contraction below the junction of the two channels, a water supply pipe connected with said contraction for producing an upward flow of water through said asserting channel into said discharge channel, and a downwardly inclined feed channel for delivering material to the assorting channel at its junction with the discharge channel.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

GORDON LAND. \Vitnesses M. M. GROUT, V. G. PATTERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0

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