US1250938A - Flotation ore-concentrating apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

0. ALLEN. FLOTATION 08E CONCENTRATING APPARATUS;

APPLICATION .msb OCT. 12.11am.

Patented Dec. 2?, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

k 0. ALLEN. ROTATION ORE CDNCENTRA'HNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. I916.-

'Patnited 1m 25.1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

o. ALLEN. V ormon ORE GONCENTRATING PPARATUS.

ArrugfAnor-m'sp 001.12. I916.

Pamnt'a Dec.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

03mm ALLEN, or DENVER, co omo.

rLo'm'rIon OBE-CONCENTBATING APPARATUS.

To'all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ORREN ALIEN, a citizen of the United States of America, resid ing at thecity and county ofDenver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Flotation pro-Concentrating A pparates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a-newcontinuous centrifugally operating oil flotation ore concentratingapparatus; and the objects of my inventionare:

Fi t, to-provide an oil flotation concen-- tration apparatus for ores'in'which the ore pulp and 011 and air are kept in constant and continuous movement in the apparatus while bein mixed and commingled -t ogether, and

- them in constant and rag:

w into the concen- 8O 'view, on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

in w

the colloidal matter or mineral particles can ch there are no corners or spaceswhere collect and pack.

Second, 'to provide an oil flotation concentration apparatus for ores in which theore pulp and oil anda supply of air are circu lated continuouslyland automatically by.

taken apart when itis desired to clean the same and. put together again by unskilled,

labor, and that draws air into it by suction. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1, is a plan view of the improved oil flotation ore concentrating apparatus.

Fig. 2, is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 3, is a vertical, transverse sectional Fig. 4', is a-side view partly in section, showing one of the ore-pulp-receiving cylinders, and a portion of the 'ad]oin1ng mixing cylinder, also the radial blades which are supported around said mlxmg cyl nder.

' ,Fig. 5, is avertical, transverse sectional f view onlthe line 55 of Fig. 4..

Fig; 6,, is a -horizontl sectional view I Specification of Lettersratent, Patented Dec; 25, 1917. Application filed October 12,1916; Serial No. 125,219.

through-a portion of one of-the receiving cylm ers and the adjacent partition, showmgthe'manner in which the dividing blades and their supporting disks are pressed agamst one end of each receiving cylinder,

and are thereby held-stationary.

Fig. 7, is a vertical, longitudinal sectional I view of one of the rotary mixing cylinders.

Fig. 8, is a front view-of one of the rings which are-clamped against one of 'the blade holding plates of eachpair, in the manner shown in-Fig. 6.

Fig. 9, is an-end view-of one-of'the packng boxes and its supportin plate, which forms the closure for one of t e end ore circulatlng compartments-j And b Fi 10 is a side-view ofone of the com- 1n the are p prec'eivin'g cylinders. v

Similarletters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring tothe drawings,- Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent. ana paratus embodying my invention, and in these figures, as well as in some of the remaining figures, the numeral 1 designates the first umt of a multiple unit oil flotationconcentrating apparatus. he numeral 2 designates the second unit, and the numeral 3 designates the third unit.

4 These units are .all alike in their mannerof receiving, mixing, concentrating, and. separating the mineral values from ore pulp to which oil has been addedt o eflect aconcentration of the mineral particles that mix with oil'and air that have been added to the ore pulp eitherbefore the ore ulp is fed into the apparatus or after it is ed into the apparatus, and alsoa'separation by floating the concentrated mineral and oil product a from the ore .pulp into'preferably a filter,

from which it is either conveyed to further treatment or is shipped to a smelter.

.1 preferably illustrate my oil flotation concentration apparatus made up into a three unit machine, although if desired only one or two unitsmay be used, or as many units 'may be added to the three illustrated as it is thought necessary. to effect a satlsfactoryconcentration of the mineral values of the ore pulp.

Each of my three 011 flotation concentrating units comprises an ore pulp circulating compartment 8, and a settling, concentrating and separating compartment 9 The three ore pulp, 011 and air mlxing and cm pulp inletand air inlet pipes for parating units are mounted in a three compartment tank having ends 4 and 5 These compartments are separated from each other by pa-rt-it-ionsti and 7. f

This tank'and its ends and the; partitions therein that form themixing and. concentratingcompart-ments, may be made of'metal or wood, as desired. I preferably'ho'wever, construct them of,wood Each. oneflof the three sets of compartments forms with the mixing; mechanism .therein a complete oil flotation and'concentrating unit by itself, but

.' they are united into coiiperatingxunits to eni able a more thorough concentration andfis'eparat-ion of'the mineral values than one Wl-ll ve.

The ore pulp circulating.compartments 3 have their rear endportions'sloping down to their ertical end portionsyform'ing an arjating compartments hare theirinner ,wa

angle-shaped bottom end each. The sep- 10 sloping toward their. outer vertical 'walls 1 1,:whichforms an angled bottom end in each, I which permits; the heavier particles 25 which it is easily'and quickly reinovedfrom' :as will scribed.

to settle'into a narrowlspace in' each from be hereinafter clearly de--' The ore' ulp,;oil"and air mi'xin Hitchenism of eac 1 unit consists. of the ollowing i instrumentalities,-which .are all mounted on a rotatingshaft 12,- that is journaled in hanger bearings 13 at its opposite ends, tha.t are secured to and depend from" channel I be'a'ms'14, that "extend across the opposite ends'of the tank and rest on columns 15, that project vertically up'i'va'rd from the ground or from. suitable foundations-or from the 'floor of a mill; I preferably make" these columns however of concrete, :There are two sets of these channel beams 14, and the beams of each set are placed back to back;

.with a space between them, and the flanges 16 of the hanger'bea'rings are boltedto their lower flanges 17," .1

- This rotating shaft extends through suitgable stufiing boxes 18,,that surround the shaft and are secured to the opposite ends of the tank.

These stufling' boxes are provided with flanges 19 and'19. thatare secured to the opposite ends of he tank, and also with lugs 20 that are cured to the under side of cross beams Q1, that are secured to channel beams 22 and- 23.. .'These beams. and

channels support the weight of the tank,

which is suspended wholly from the beams, and does notrest on anything at any part of its bottom portion. The object of this depending arrangement of the tank with its various compartments is to insure ,thealinement of the ore pulp mixing and circulating mechanism, in case the wood Work )f-thetank warps badly. Thesides of-the ieparating compartments are provided with 271'through "a 'launder2-9 or othersuitable plank extensions '24 that are always dry and are provided solely to prevent that portion .of each side that is constantly wet with the 'ore pulp, from warping enough to spring leaks The two beams- 22 and 23 extend along and close' to the opposite sides of the tank,

1 which is secured to and supported bythem,

preferably bybeing bolted to them. 4

' -'A- thirdchannel beam '25 extends across .the endsaof the separatingcompartments, the ends 'of )vhich. are extended as shown at 26 and rest upon the said beams and 23.

The-ore pulp is received into unit number '1", through apl e 27 that is preferably provided witha opper 28 at its upper end, which-receives the-o'repulp from stamp or a. ball mill 'orfro'l'n someo'ther ore crushmg -or 'pulverizing, machinery, which I do This ore stream that is' called ore'p'ulp.

e inlet pipe pulp flows tot-he hopper oft conveyen. Thelower end of the ore pulp inlet pipe-27 is threaded toan aperture 30 formed in a" receiver 31 which. preferably 'con'sists.of-'a cylindrical casting that issecured to and is supported dependingly from a cross tie beam 32 by bolts 33.v The beam 32 is'secured at its ends to the sides of the tanln This cylinder is provided with a' semi-circular" row of holes 31* in its top surface, which-admit ore-pulp-to its interior from the circulating compartment 8, as

.will be more fully described hereinafter.

The outer end of thisore pulp receiving 'cyli nder.31.fits into and extends through an aperture formed in the end' 5, 'of,the tank,

and ahub portion 24 formed on the flange of the adjacent stufiing box 18, extends into the end of the receiver far enou h to center the" stufiingbo x and theore pu p receiving cylinder. together concentrical y to the ro' ta'tings'haft. i

The opposite end of this'ore pulp receiving cylinder extends against a ring shaped plate 35, that is held be resently describe n the shaft with one end close to the ad jacentside of the plate 35, a rotating cylin- "derr36' is mounted; This cylinder comprises an end flange .37, on which a hub 38 is'formed that fits-on the shaft and is secured thereto.

against rotation, as will ,not illustrate, where it is mijXed with a sufii eient amount of i'vate'r to-,form a flowing preferably by a pin 39 that extends through the hub and through the shaft. 011 the circumferentialrp'eripheral edge of this fl'a-nge,

a drum'poi ti'on 40' that preferably consists] of apiece of pipe, is fitted, .and'is secured thereto preferably by threaded pins 41, that extend throughthedrum into' the casting. The-opposite end-of the drum fits tightly overfa thin flange 42, that forms the opposite end {of the cylinder, This end fla nge is pro vided with an axial aperture that is enough 5 larger than the shaft to form a circular passageway for the ore pulp from the receiving cylinder, which is drawn through this aperture from the receiving cylinder into this rotating ore pulp, 011 and air mixing cylinder.

' The peripheral surface of the drum por- .tion 40 of the cylinder is provided with numerous rows of holes 43 throughout its circumferenceand its length, enough being provided to readily discharge by centrifugal force the ore pulp emulsion as fast as it flows into it from the receiving cylinder, as will be presently described.

At the side of the hub end of the cylinder, j

its flange 37, but does not bear against it or against theopposite end of the cylinder,.as the rin s are stationary while the cylinder rotates etween them.

These two ring shaped plates 35, 44.

larger in diameter than the mixingcylinder, and'their peripheral edges are provided with a circumferential row ofradial slots 45, and

also with annular grooves 46. These slots '45 are adapted to receive and sup ort be-.

tween the plates 35 and 44 a-circum erential, row of ore pulp dividing blades 47,; The

radial slots 45 are of equal number and size in eachplate, and their opposite ends are provided with an inward offset that allows th e'j edge of these blades to be-peened' or -swaged into annular grooves-which acts to rivet-the blades to the plates, and the in wardlyotfset portion extends through ,the'

slots 45 and down the inside of these plates a short distance and then across to the'oppo site plate, as will be understood by Figxtil The plates 35 and 44 are mountedaon the opposite adjacent ends of the ore, pulp receiving cylinders-of the units 1 an 2, and in orderto lace and hold them on the ends of these cylinders they are each divided 'into two equal halves, thediametrical divisional line being placed between two opposite airs of blades, and in order to hold these ates with their radiating blades concentrically on the ends of these cylindersl provideeach half of the plates with three pins. Two of these pins 48 are positioned in a concentric circle, that enables them to rest on the outside peripheral surface of the adjacent ends of these stationary cylinders, while the third pin 48" is positioned to project into and rest close against the inner peripheral surfaces of these cylinders in order to mount these halves onto the ends of these cylinders after the cylinders are positioned around the driving shaft in the ore pulp holdlng compartment 31 of the unit 1.. The ad acent ends of these two cylinders are each provided with a slot 49 that extends entirely through their shells, and when placing the first half in position between these stationary and the rotating cylinder the inner pin 48 is the stationary cylinders, and then the two outslde pins 48 will rest on the outside pepassed through this slot into the interior ofii riphery of these cylinders, and' these first circular plates, with the inner edges of their .blades fitting closely and concentrically entirely around the rotating cylinder, which rotates within them, and-so close to them.

that the ore ulp discharged and thrown out by it throng its numerous peri heral holes is subdivided into numerousxthin sheets as it flows into the body of ore pulpin this ore pulp holding chamber of the first unit.

The baflle blades 47 are placed and secured preferabl closer together than. the diameters of t e holes through the circumferenceof the mixin cylinder, and the slots in the .plates are 0 a de th that will bring the inner edge of each lade as close tothe ro-' tating surface ofthe cylinder as it will rotate without bearin against them, in order that the ore 'pu lp t irown out of the holes ofthe rotating, cylinder may move radially between each two blades without-parsing under thein.

The re'piilp mixing cylinder. is rotated by abe t driven pulley 50, that is mounted A onthe shaft 12' outside of theend 5 of the tank, and should make preferably about 31,200 revolutions per minute. This speed, however, may be increased or diminished to suit different ores. The pulley is positioned between two depending hangers" 13 that firmly support the shaft on opposite sides of it. The ring shaped plates 35 and 44 and their blades'47 are held from rotatin by winged screws 51, which are threaded t rough the hub 52 of a disk 53 that is secured to the opposite side of the partition 7 from the ring plate 44. These ring plates 44 separate the ore pulp circulating compartment of each of the concentrating units from the others in the concentrating tank.

These screws 51 are threaded through the hub 52 of the disk 53 and are extended This ring disk is provided witha narrow annular lug oh, that projects from its side TilClHg' the ad acent blade supporting plate,

.g-aud when the screws are turned to press J iagainst this'ring dlHli its annular lug engages the adjacent side of the flange 4% and forces it and its blades and the flange on the. opposite side of'the blades against the end, of the first units ore pulp receiving cylinder 31,-and the outer end of this cylinder 31 bears against the circular'flange or head ofthe adjacent stufiing box 18, which flange is and the end 9*"- the tank and between the rotating ore mixing and cent-rifugally dis-v charging cylinder and the adjacent endslofboth the first unit and the second unit'ore pulp receiving cylinders between whichfthis rotating cylinder rotates, to prevent the ore v pulp from circulating and lodging'between them. Consequently the ore'pulp must flow into this rotating cylinder and out through its holes between the blades and into the ore pulp holding chamber. 80f the first unit of my oil flotation machine, from which it flows through one-or more apertures 57 formed in the side )5: of the tank, into the" ore pulp" settling and concentrates collecting and separating compartment of, the unit 1,

to the bottom 'of'which api-pe ,58 extends, from the ore the unit 1.

l he rotating ore pulp, oil and air mixing .cylinder rotatesat such a highrate of'speed thatit creates a suction-force sufficient to continuously draw the ore pulp that is' con.- tinuously discharging from the circumferential circle of blades into the ore pulp holding chamber, which is-ke t full from its pointed bottom up to the ischargingholes 57 that allow it toflow from this ore pulp circulating compartment into the separating compartment of the unit 1.

The air supply is also drawn into the ore pulp by the suction created by the IOtati"8 and centrifugal force actions of the mixing cylinder rotating at a high rate of speed.

The air is admitted to the ore pulp receiving cylinder in the following manner:

A-pipe 59 of somewhat larger diameter than the ore pulp feeding-in pipe is threaded to an aperture in the top of the ore pulp receiving cylinder, and the upper end of this pipe extends upward from this cylinder, to close to the top of the ore pulp or the water line of the ore pulp, and its end is covered with a screen 59f of coarse enough rnesh to admit-the ore pulp which overflows .nto it and runs down into the ore receiving :hainber but fine enough to prevent the oil iroth tliat'collects on the top of the ore pulp From flowing into the pipe with the ore. pulp,

pulp receiving cylinder 31- of as this oil froth is a concentrated minerals particles containing froth that moves into screen, by any suitable neans. The upper end of this pipe opens to the atmosphere,

and 'avalve- 62 is'inserted in the pipe to regulate the flow of air :downinto the ore pulp receiving cylinder. The action of the unit 1 is a follows:

.The ore pulp witli w liich oil is preferably mixed beforethe ore .pulp enters the ore pulp receiving cylinder, which can be efl'ecb edby [lowing a stream-of .oil of the volume required into the hopper from a tank 63"- through a pipe 6l, entersthe ore pulp'cham berand the. ore pulp at its'top line flowing. down also'into this cylinder-through the screen by gravity and assisted by the suction force of the rotating mixing cylinder, draws the air bysuctioir when the valve is open downinto the pipe 59 and through it into the receivingcylinder and from it into its -1nter1or. The air drawn down by suction into the pipe encountersinnumerable small "s'treams"ofz or pulp that .are continuouslyflowin from the 10p of the body of ore pulp, and consequently :the inflowing air commingles' through the-screen into the-pipe with the ore pulp flowingvin t o'the cylinder 31 through this pipe 59. Then the whole body of ore pulp is drawniby the suction force of the rotating cylinder into the interior of it, and thei'o're pulp and oil and air arethoroughly mixed and commingled together, and thesemixed products are dis charged by centrifugal force through the holes in the circumference of the rotating c linder between the circumferential row-0f b ades- 47, which divides itinto a circiim-,

ferential'row Of thin sheets of ore pulp into the ore pulp in, the ore pulp circulating compartment ofnnit 1, which body of orepul 'is ept in continuous -.circu latioh b Y being.

; drawn from the sloping and pointed bottom portion of this chamber by the suction action of the rotating mixing cylinder through the pipe 58 and the top of the body of ore pulp overflowing into thepipe 5? into the ore pulp. receiving cylinder, the inflowing and the mixing centrifugally forcing out and re and throwing out drawing in and remixin action being automatical y continuous, especially for the purposes of preventing even the least possible portion of the heavier par-' ticles of the ore pulp from settling in the bottom or corners. of the ore pulp holding chamber or in any part of its apparatus.-

This thorough mixing, and commingling of theore pulp, oil and air causes the air to break up into small bubbles, and the oil to divide into small drops, and as both have operation the-three units of my oil flotahe seemingly an affinity for the lighter mineral particles, or the function of attachingthemselvesto and surrounding the mineral parveyed away.to further treatment ortoa biiy u I .The 'o're,pulp with-theyalve controlled The ore pulp and. gangue matter that ticles, and as the constantly agitated ore pulp flows .from the ore pulp circulating. compartment through the aperturesfi'l. in the side wall X into the separating 'compart-" ment, where the ore pulp comes to a slow unagitated flowing mass that is insubstantially' such a restful condition that the heavier mineral and the gangue matter sink to the bottom of it and the'lighter-mineralparticles are buoyed up and are floated bytheairand,

oil to the top surface in the form of a frothy mass which graduallyfloats continuously to and discharges from the discharge 'lip'65 of the separating compartment and drops into a filtering box 66, which may be of any-suitable-construction, fromwhich it may be conwhic-h i do'not illustrate. I

settle in the bottom of the'separating com-f partnient is sucked up through a pipe 67 by,

the suction action of. the centrifugal force of the rotating mixing cylinder of the second unit. of the machine.

" The second and. third'unitsof myoil flotation ore concentrating apparatus are in construction, arran ement and tion just like that of the 'rst'unit, and ey each contain all of thepafts of'the first unit except dividing blade.

theore pulp feeding-in pipe and hopper, and 3 reason a; etail descriptionof them is unthe oil sup ly tank and its pipe, an for this necessary. There are however features of cooperative construction, arrangement and operation between the units that-are novel and necessary. to attain'the best results in the concentrating treatment ofores, whichollows: The ore pul receiving cylinder 55* of the second and t ird units and also the hub portion on the flange head 19 of the adlacent stuffing box 18. PI'OjBQt through and'fromthe rear end of the tank and thepartitions spectively to allow their ends that are adjacent to the rotating cylinders to receive and be connected to the ring-shaped ore pulp The supportin and 44. also fit over both ends of t e ore p'ulp receiving cylinders 55 and 55 of the 11111135 2 and 3 and over the inner end' of the hub on the flange 19 at the rearof the thutd unit,

thus forming a close jointed andcontinuous construction of the ore ulp receiving, mixing, agitating, and circ atmg mechanism in axial alinement with and concentr c to-the longitudinal axis of the rotating drivin shaft 12- that insures-steady, permanent an continuous high speed capaclty of the app'aratus.

The complete and continuous cooperating lows - high' sucked:

plates 35 the ore to flow tron ore concentrating-apparatus, is as fol"- The shaft-.andthethree mixing-and centrifugallydischarging cylinders are started to rotatin atria-high rate; of speed, refer-T ablyfnot e'ss than about 1200 frevo utions per minute. The ore pulp and oil are then' turned into. the hopper. and inlet. ,pipe and theyfloyvintothe receiverof' I umt-.1.' The valves 62 of all of the air et ipes that enter the screened pi '59' are alrsoopened and each of the rotating cylinders-"draws air. -from the atmosphere thrbugh' these ipes into'the-receiving cylinders 31, 55 an of all three units, and'from thein into their. interiors b suction, which is causedby the Egg l-centrifugal forceactio'n thati forces. eore pulp-swiftly through :the numucus-holes throughout their peripheral surfaces tedamount'of oil and air is y m the cylinder 31 of the first unit j through the apertures "in the top and u of thereceiving cylinder and throughthe- '1 opening in. the end flange 420i the rotating cylinder 36,-in'to' the interior of that cylinder. n"- is subjected w the high rotatlve of that cylinder, and is. swirled 4 and mixedand commingled together and "the oil andair is throughout the ore pul'p,"'an'd the mineral particlesat- ",tac'h themselves tothe walls of the air bubbles that'f-are formed in the ore pulp. Boththeoil and the air and the mineral particles have 'an 'afiinitive attraction foreach other,

and will unite in ore-pulp when the ore pulp is thoroughly agitated and these elements are 'ven freedom of action. f

T ehigh- 'rota'tive speed of the mixing cylinder 36 of thefir'st unit forces-the ore .pulp',- oil and air swiftly through the holes 1n its peripheral surface of this cylinder out ...fro'm" its. interior between the stationary bafile blades, which divide the orepulp into numerous streams, a machine of about 300 tons capacity per'da 'beingpreferably provided with about eig 'ty-eight blades, which makes eighty-eight narrow (passageways for it is forced to'flow swiftly before it mingles with'the body of the ore ulp in the circulating compartment .8 of t is. first unit.

The circulating compartment '8 of this first unit, fills up to the overflowin and dis-"- charging line, which .we will cal the ore ulp water-line,'instantly after. the ore pulp is turned into the machine, and its shaft and mixing cylinders are started to rotating. Consequently the eighty-eight narrow sheets of mixed ore pulp, oil and water are'forced into the body of ore pulp inthis compartment,,an'd this bodyof ore pulp is drawn through 'which.

6 58, by the suction pulling constantly back into the receiving cylinder 31 through the screen fromits water line overflowing port1on,,and.al s0 from the bottom of this compartment through the pipe 'trifugal ,force of the mixing cylinder 36. of

the unit 1,-and constantly whilefthis remix'-.

ing operation is going on, the top portion ofthe now-thoroughly mixed ore -pi1lp,- oil It); andair is overflowing into' the separating compartment through the apertures," as fast as it 'is runninginto this unit. Constantly the ore pulp in this circulating compartment '8 is drawn-back into the receiving-cylinder it from both its top and bottom portions, and is'remixed and passedth'rough 'the rotatin cylinder and bet'ween'the' baflie blades,:an

the i'vhole body of ore pulpin this compart-.-'

force of the cen-j.

tion by this mixing cylinder 36* of this 'second unit, through the screened pipe59 at its 'waterfline'and the depending pipe .58 intorits rece' iving cylinder and through the holes 211" iiililie top of the receiving cyllinder into ihSYQiiitei-i'or and is again mixed and thrqwrr'out a ai'n through its holesbetweeh the bafiie p ates again into the body oftheore pulp intthe compartment o'f-this second unit,-from which it is continuously.

overfiowing into the'separating compartment,of. this secondunit 'where' a settling and floating,- iseparationaa'nd concentration 1 of its-air bubbles and oil incased mineral takes place, which discharges over the lip 'of-thiscon' partment i'ntothe fil'ten-66. I

"The settling gangue and mineral particles of the-ore pulp are sucked up through a pipe -ment is keptin-suc'h a rap d circulating mo-. thatjit is impossible for any gangue or- Iiuneralor collo dal matter of any'kmdto- '68, from the bottom of the compartment'of the separating compartment of this second unit into the receiving cylinder'55 xof'thesettle in fandfllodge or pack in' any part 'o'fitl'. .l The oiland air mixed ore'pulp as-it-oveb' 5 flows iron! the circulating compartment mm the, separating compartment. enters-1a, suD- stantially quiet body of ore pulp, and the mineralj particles that have'not-received a .sufiicient coatin of airbubbles -and oil to. 0 floatthem-to et er with the gangue-matter, settle to the. ottom of the separating'compartment while the .mineral" particles thatv {:ave become suificiently coated with air bub-' Ice and oil to be floated, rise to the top "sur- 3 face of the ore Jpulp as concentrates in the form of an oilyfroth, which is moved-by the infiowin'g body'ofpre. pulp to thedis-- jchargin'g lip 65 of this settling .floatingand separatin compartment, and discharges over the lip 65 anddrops preferably into the V filter-'66, from which the accumulated concentrates are removed from timeto timeby,

any suitable means.

. The non-floated mineral particles of the .ore pulp together with the gangue-matter- 'thereinbis drawn. fromthefbottom ofthe separating compartmentcf the first unit as fast as it settles therein by 'the'suction force of the mixing cylinder of the concentrating unit 2, through the pipe 67 which leads from the bottom of the compartment of the separating compartment to thereceivi-n'gjc'ylinder 55 of the unit 2, from which itis drawn by the rotating cylinder 36*,tog'ether with air which it sucks in from the 'valved'air' and the screened pipes 59 and60.

This high speed rotating cylinder 36 of;

this second unit then agitates, mixes and discharges by centrifugal force the ore pulp through the holes in its peripheral surface, into and between the Bethe plates surround ing itand into the circulating compartment 5 ofthisseconcl unit, from the top and bot-' tom of which the orepulpis drawnjby sue-- inder 36 of this third unit. The receiving thirdunitby the high ,speedmotating cylcylinder o f-thi's'third unit is also provided [with ore pulp inlet holes 315 in its top sur- .face and-with a' 'scr een.ed 0re pulp and a valved air inlet pipe and-a pipe leading to the bottom. of the circulating. compartment ofthis' third unit, andfthe rotating cylinder is also surrounded with baflie, plates, consequently exactly the same continuous cen trifugal force' mixing, agitating, suction, circulatingaction takes place in the compartment 8 of this third unit-as in the first and second units, and the orefpulp overflows 4 ,cont-i'nuously into its separating c0m'part-- ment 9and the samesettling, floatin and concentrating'action takes place and -t e.oil froth concentrates discharge from it into. the filter 66. The settlings in'the compartment of this third unitseparating'compart- -ment are called; tailingsfand they are ale lowed to discharge through. a pipe 69 that is provided with \a suitable valve to regulate,

their flow so as to maintain the concentrates -discharging line at the top of the ore pulp in this compartment;

In the concentration of some particular characters of ores I have found in practice that the battle plates can be dispensed with. This is particularly so when concentrating vanadium ores, and consequently my invention contemplates the use of the receiving,

'mixing and circulating mechanism either with or-without them. y

y oil' flotation ore concentrating apparatus provides a positive, rapid,ore pulp and oil and airmixing and recirculating mechanism, that results in a very high recovery of the mineral values from ores; and while Ihave illustrated and described the preferred construction and arrangement of my invention, I do not wish to be limited toit, as many changes imght be made Having described my invention, what I- claim as new and desire to secureby Lettore Patent, is:

1. An oil flotation ore pulp concentrating apparatus comprising'an ore fipulp agitating compartment, a submerged, xed ore pulpreceiving cylinder in the agitating compartment and a rotary mixing cylinder adjoining and in axial line with the receiving cylinder and adapted to draw ore therefrom by suction force, and being'provided with pe ripheral ore discharging apertures, means for rotating said mixing cylinder, and a pipe for feeding ore to the receiving cylinder.

2. An oil flotation ore concentrating apparatus, comprisin means including ore pulp receiving, centr fugal and suction action members, iand means including a screened ore pulp-and air admitting member and a. valve controlled air inlet member connected to the suction member and adapting the same to automatically draw an ample supply of air, from the atmosphere by suction.

3. An oil flotation ore concentrating apparatus, comprising an agitating compartment provided with means includlng a rotating shaft, a fixed ore pulp and oil and air receiving cylinder and a rotatin centrifugally operating mixing and circu ating cylinder mounted on said shaft, and means including valve controlled air intake members extendin into the atmosphere and connected to said fixed ore pulp receiving and said mixing cylinders, said ore pulp oil and air mixing and circulating apparatus being arranged to automatically draw a predetermined and regulated amount of air from the atmos here by suction, a screened ore pulp pipe extending from said fixed ore pulp receiving cylinder to the level of the. ore pulp in said agitating compartment adapted to permit any excess flow of ore pulp to flow back into said fixed ore pulp receiving cylinder, said screen being arranged to exclude the oil froth on the surface of said ore pulp in said agitating compartment from flowing into said pipe.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an agitating tank, of a submerged ore pulp receiving cylinder in said tank, said ore pulp receiving cylinder comprising a cylindrical open ended stationary member, having a semicircular row of inlet holes in its upper portion, an inlet pipe extending from said receiver to the water level of the tank, a screen on the water level end of said pipe, adapted to admit ore pulp to said pipe, but to exclude the oil froth therefrom, a valved air pipe secured to said screen and extending up into the atmosphere above the ore pulp, a pipe extending from said receiver to the bottom portion. of the tank, means for drawing the ore' pulp from. the receiver and discharging it in the surrounding body of water, and an ore pulp inlet feed pipe for the ore pulp receiver.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with an agitating tank, of a submerged receiving cylinder in the agitating tank, a rotatable agitating cylinder in axial line with and communicating with the receiving cylinder, .havi'ng peripheral apertures and adapted to draw material from the receiving cylinder and expel it through said apertures into the agitating tank, a feed hopper and a pipe connectin the same with the receiving cylinder, an means 'for admitting air to the receiving cylinder.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an agitating tank, of a stationary submerged receiving cylinder in said tank, a pipe for feeding material to the receiving cylinder, and a pipe for admitting air to the receiving cylinder, a. rotary bladed agitating cylinder adjoining and in axial line with the receiving cylinder, having peripheral apertures, and being arranged to draw the material from the receiving cylinder by suction force and discharge it through the said apertures into the agitating tank, a .valved pipe leading from the bottom of the settling tank, and a pipe leading from the receiving cylinder to the bot tom of the agitating tank.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with an agitating tank, of a submerged stationary receiving cylinder in the agitating tank, an agitating cylinder in axial'line with the receiving cylinder and adjoining the same, and havin a plurality of apertures extending througg its wall, a power driven shaft extending loosely through the receiving cylinder but rigidly connected to the agitating cylinder,

'said cylinder acting to draw material from the receiving cylinder and discharge it into the agitating tank, a pipe for feedin material to the receiving cylinder, a pipe leading from the receiving cylinder to the Water line of the tank. a screen on said pipe, a valved pipe for admitting air to the screened pipe, and a pipe connecting'the receiving cylinder with the bottom'portion of the agitating tank.

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

ORREN ALLEN.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT Enuorr, ADELLA M. FowLn.

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