US1226063A

US1226063A - Ore-flotation apparatus.

Info

Publication number: US1226063A
Application number: US128721A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert C Colburn; Ernest A Colburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-05-31
Filing date: 1916-10-31
Publication date: 1917-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1934-05-15

Description

H18. 81 E. A. COLBURN ORE FLOTATION APPARATUS.

APPUCATION r1110 OCT. 31. 19l6.-

1;Q26,063. I Patented May 15,1917.

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ORE-FLOTA'TION APPARATUS.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Driginal application filed may 31, 1916, Serial Nb. 1043,9 t7. llividedand this application filed October 31, 1916. Serial No. 128,721.

separating valuable particles in finely divided ore, by what is commonly known as the flotation process.

This application is divisional ofour application Serial Number 100,947, on ore flotation process, filed May 31, 1916, and allowed- October 17 1916, it being the object of the present invention to provide an association of simple mechanical devices by which our separation process may be effectually car ried out.

The process above referred to consists in mixing ore pulp with an oil orother substance having a selective afinity for the desired valuable particles, agitating and emulsifying this mixture with the addition of a limited quantity of air or other gas, under a pressure less than atmospheric, and then conducting the emulsified mixture to a separate receptacle in which the froth can rise under atmospheric pressure.

In order to carry out this process we have designed. an apparatus the principal elements of which are a settling tank the con tents of which are under atmospheric pressure and a mixing chamber provided with an outlet which connects with a settling tank and with an inlet for ore-pulp which con nects with a conveniently ore and water.

The mixing chamber contains a movable disposedsupply of element adapted to thoroughly agitate andemulsify its contents, and suitable means are, provided to maintain during the agitative action, a partial vacuum in the chamber which greatly expedites and promotes the process of separation.

By subjecting the finely divided ore during the emulsification step of the process, to a partial vacuum, the envelops of gas and colloidal matter which surround the s'nlfid chamber with an outlet-opening which exparticles contained in the ore are expanded and disrupted and the oil having a natural aiiinity' for the sulfids, immediately attaches itself thereto after the particles have been bared.

The partial vacuum constantly maintained in the mixing chamber, furthermore atomizes the air through the pulp and produces other results of minor advantage, all of which cooperate in obtaining a product which uponentering the settling chamber will by natural flotation be cleanly divided, it being understood that the oil-coated sulfid particles, as a direct result of the mixing action under less than atmospheric pressure, will rise naturally and easily to the surface while the gangue settles to the bottom of the tank. The air atomized through the pulp 70 also rises to the surface of the material in the settling chamber and a froth is formed in which the values are entrapped and which may be removed from the tank either by natural overflow or by the use of a suitable skimming device.

The partial vacuum required in the mix ing chamber during the emulsification process is preferably obtained by providing the ceeds the feed opening in area, a proportion of four to one having been found to produce satisfactory results.

The partial vacuum may also be obtained.

by connecting the mixing chamber with a 5 I suction pump through the intermediary of a vacuum chamber, or by any other expedient WhICh may be found best adapted for the purpose.

The oil and air are admitted to the material under treatment, preferably through "openings in the conduit which" connects- With the inletopening of the "mixing chamber, the flow through said openings bemg controlledby valves which are connected for synchronous movement to automatically proportionate the quantities of oil and air admltted during a given period in the operation of theapparatus.

- Having thus briefly described the purposes, operation and results of our improved apparatus, we will now proceed to explain the construction of the same in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in the various views of which-like parts are similarly designated, and in which Figure 1- represents a sectional elevation of the elements comprised in the apparatus, in their cooperative relation,

Fig. 2, a vertical section throughthe mixing chamber of the apparatus taken along the line 2- -2, Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale,

- The tank has at its-upper edge an overflow 3 for the froth, produced in the flotation process, and in its bottom an outlet 4 for the settling gangue.

The mixing chamber-5 of the apparatus consists in its preferred form of an upright circular casing 6 in which a mixing element has a rotary movement about a'horizontal axis. The casing has a feed opening 7 which by means of a conduit 8 is connected with an elevated source of ore supply 9, and an outlet 10 of comparatively large diameter, which connects with a conduit 12 extending into the settling or frothingtank .2.

The mixing element may be of any suitable construction, preference being given to a device of the character shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

I The feed opening 70f the mixing chamber is in this construction formed centrally in one of the sides of the casing 6, and the outlet opening 10 is disposed tangentially at the upper end of the same. The feed-opening is connected with the before mentioned conduit 8 by a nozzle 13 the cross-sectional area of WlllCll is less than one-fourth the area of the outlet 10.

The nozzle has an opening for the admission of air theflow through which is controlled by a valve 14 which is yieldingly held upon its seat against atmospheric pressure by a spring 15.

The oil used in the flotation process, enters the nozzle through an opening theadmission of ,oil to which is controlled by a needlevalve 16 which opens and closes the outlet of a pipe 17 communicating'with the source of oil supply.

The two valves are connected-to move in unison by a lever 18, whereby the quantities of air and oil admittedat onetime to the material .passing through the nozzle, are automatically proportioned.

The spring 15 is. made of sufficient strength to maintain the partial vacuum in the mixing chamber constantly at a predetermined pressure.

The casing 6 has centrally disposed stuffing boxes 19 for the support of a shaft 20 which imparts a rotary movement to the mixing element within the chamber 5.

. This element consists of a disk-shaped member 21 mounted on the shaft 20 and provided with a series of radial, outwardly projecting vanes 22 which in their outer longitudinal edges have recesses to admit correspondingly formed tongues 23 on a stationary member 24 which is fixed at the opposite side of the chamber.

During rotation of the shaft these tongues pass through the recesses of the rapidly rotating member 21 and thereby effect a thorough agitation and emulsification of the ore pulp, oil and, air.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, a

mixing chamber 25 is connected by a conduit 26 with a reservoir 27 in which a vacuum of determinate pressure is maintained by a suction pump 28. The mixing element mounted within the chamber 25 consists of a series of paddles which radiate from a rotary vertical shaft 29.

In the operation of our apparatus, the orepulp, oil and air are introduced into the mixing chamber in predetermined proportions as hereinbefore explained, the partial .Vacuum maintained in the mixing chamber bares the sulfids of the ore, which are immediately coated with oil, and the entire mass contained in the chamber is thoroughly agitated and emulsified and intermixed with the air or other gas which is atomized by the vacuum. The mixture is discharged from the mixing chamber into the settling tank in which it is brought to a comparative condition of rest and in which the coated sulfid particles and atomized air rise to the surface where theycongregate into a froth in which the values of the ore are entrapped. The froth passes across the overflow into a launder 30 and its movement may be expedited by the use of a skimmer such as that shown at 31 in Fig. 1.

The -gangue settling to the bottom of the settling tank is discharged at intervals through the normally valve-closed outlet 4.

While in most cases a singletreatment of the ore by our process is sufiicient to extract practically all the values it contains, the

treatment of unusually refractory ores may be repeated by the use of a second apparatus similar to that described, the mixing cham-' ber of which connects with the gangue outlet of the settling tank of the first apparatus.

The two settling tanks may under these conditions' be connected by .a conduit 32 for maintaining their liquid contents on an even.

level. I

Having thus described our invention what matinee we claim and desire to Patent is: i

1. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in'combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

2. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening, an inlet for introducing a gas into material admitted throu hsaid feed-opening, and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

8. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixsecure by Lettersing chamber having a feed-opening, aninlet.

for introducing a substance having a selective affinity for the desired valuable particles, into material admitted through said feed-opening, and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its con tents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, and a settling charm her under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

4. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening, an inlet for introducing an oil into material admitted through said feed-opening, and an outlet, a mixing element operating in saidmixing chamber for the agitation and emul sification of its contents, means for main taining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

53. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening, inlets for introducing a gas and an oil into mate rial. admitted through said feed-openin and outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixin chamber for the agitation and emulsiiication of its contents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation or said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

6. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening, an inlet .ing chamber having-a feed-opening, inlets for introducing a gas and an oil into material admitted through said feed-opening, and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, a valve automatically regulating the introduction of a gas through the gasinlet, a valve cooperating with the other valve to regulate the introduction of oil through the oil-inlet, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet.

8. Apparatus for separating valuableparticles'of finely divided ores by a flotation process,v comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a teed-opening and an outlet, a mixing-element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, said feed-opening being relative to said outlet, of reduced area for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixin chamber during the operation of said e ement, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said out let.

9. Apparatus forseparating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, said feed-opening having an area not exceeding one-fourth the area of said outlet for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operationof said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet. 1

10. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mixing chamber having a feed-opening and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber and comprising a rotary member and a fixed member having mter meshing parts for the agitation and emulsification of the contents of said chamber, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, and a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connectedwith said outlet.

11. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mix ing chamber having a feed-opening and an outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber and comprising a rotary member and a fixed member having cooperative vanes for the agitation and emulsifica- 12. Apparatus for separating valuable particles of finely divided ores by a flotation process, comprising in combination, a mix ing chamber having a feed-opening andan outlet, a mixing element operating in said mixing chamber for the agitation and emulsification of its contents, means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber during the operation of said element, a settling chamber under a higher pressure, connected with said outlet, and means for feeding material into the mixing chamber by gravitation and discharging the mixture produced in the latter, into the settling chamber.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

; HERBERT O. COLBURN.

ERNEST A. COLBURN. Witnesses:

G. J. 'RoLLANm-rr,

L. Rumors.