US1328210A - Apparatus for extracting minerals from ores - Google Patents

Description

G. M- SlfURESh.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM ORES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1918.

1 32 31 0 Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

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IN VE A/WM A A TTORNEYS s. M. SHIRES. APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTINVG MINERALS FROM ORES.

. I APPLICATION HLED NOV. 29. 1918. 1,328,210, Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

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APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM OR'ES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29; I918.

Patented Jan. 13,1920.

INV TOR.

Patented. Jan. 13, 1920;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

G. M. SHIRES.

APPARATUS FOR EXTBACTING MINERALS FROM ORES.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1918. 1,323,210.

G. M. SHIRES.

I Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y5 UNTTED STATE8 PA NT FFICE.

GEORGE M. SHIRES, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MINERALS FROM 'ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an 13, 1920 Application filed November 29, 1918. Serial No. 264,705.

ing Minerals from Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an apparatus for extracting sulfur from ores.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described. which is specially designed for the purpose of extracting minerals, particularly sulfur. from ores, containing the same.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus whereby the different processes carried on by the apparatus may be carried on, in the main, automatically, and the mineral thereby extracted from the ore and separated in a substantially pure state.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for delivering the residue of the ore from which the mineral is extracted, from the refining retort.

'With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts. an example ofwhich is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, shows a side view of the heating drums, showing the means for delivering the mineral to be treated thereto.

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view of one of said drums.

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view of the retort.

Fig. "s2, is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Fi 5, is a fragmentary longitudinal sectiona view of the steam table employed.

' Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an endless conveyer. which cooperates with the steam table.

Fig. 8, is a transverse sectional view of the retort, and

Figs. 9 and 10, show end and slde views, respectively of the refuse tanks employed. Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1, refers to the crusher, having the hopper 2, which receives the ore. The ore is ground up by said crusher and delivered to the rolls 3 and 4, between which it passes and by means of which is reduced to a comparatively fine state. It is then delivered to the elevator 5, of any well known construction by means of which it is elevated and delivered to the ore bin 6. As .shown in Fig. 1, there are three heating drums,

7, 8 and 9, arranged vertically one above the other, and the ore bin 6 is mounted above them. The lower drum 9 is connected to the separator 10, by means of a suitable discharge pipe 11, and the drums 7 and 8, and 8 and 9, are connected by suitable discharge pipes 12 and 13, respectively. The ore is discharged from the bin 6, through a suitable discharge pipe 14. The respective discharge pipes 11,12, 13, and 14, are controlled by the respective shutter valves 15, 16, 17 and 18, and the respective gate valves 19, 20, 21 and 22. The ore delivered into the bin 6, is delivered into the drum 7, by first opening the gate valve 22, and then by manipulating the shutter valve 18, so as to regulate the discharge of the ore, and the passage of the ore from any particular drum to the one underneath it, is controlled in a similar manner. I

Steam lines 23, 24, 2-5 and 26, respectively, connect the separator 10 with the drum 9, and connect the drums 9 and 8, the drums 8 and 7, and the drum 7, with the ore bin 6, and these steam lines are controlled, respectively, by the, valves 27, 28, 29 and 30. Steam is admitted to the separator through the steam pipe 31, in the manner hereinafter described, and a supplemental steam line 32, leads from this pipe and is connected to the respective drums 7, 8 and 9, and is controlled by means of the respective valves 34, and 35. This supplemental steam is provided to keep the ore in the. drums heated, so that it will not harden, in case the main steam line should become disabled. Provision is also made for substituting hot air for steam "in thedrums 8 and 9, said hot air being introduced through the air line 36, which enters said drums and which is controlled by the valves 34 and 37, and the valves 35 and 38. A sufficient amount of ore is admitted to first fill the drums 7, 8 and 9, and all of the valves controlling the disthen closed and steam or hot air is then admitted to the lower drum to raise the temperature thereof, to approximately, 230 F., which will ordinarily be sufficient to melt the sulfur. The heating fluid is then permitted to pass on up to the drum 8 until it is raised to a temperature of approximately 216 F., and then on to the last drum until its temperature is raised to approximately 180 F., and the surplus heating fluid, if any, may then be permitted to pass on up through the ore bin so as to raise its temperature considerably, thus while the charge in the. lower drum is being melted, the temperature of the charges above it is being gradually raised. lVhen the smaller particles of ore in the lower drum 9, have been melted, its contents are discharged into the separator 10 in the manner hereinbefore explained, and the charges contained in the other drums 8 and 7, and in t-heore bin 6 are each lowered a stage. However, before any particular drum is filled with another charge. the sand, water from condensation, and other foreign matter, is washed therefrom, so that the controlling valves will be kept free and unclogged by means of water, which may be discharged therein through the water line 39. This line extends down by the drums, and has suitable discharge nozzles controlled by the respective valves 40, ll. l2 and i3. 'ater is forced into this line from the heater drum all, through the water pipe 45, by means of the pump -16, and the sand and other foreign matter washed from the drums 7 and S, is conducted off to the waste tanks, hereinafter referred to, through the discharge line H, which is controlled by the respective valves 48 and 49. The steam pipe 31 enters the separator 10. and terminates in the steam box 51, which is supported by a suitable framework This framework is independent of the separator, and is mounted on suitable rollers 53, 53, which are sustained upon the track 54, provided in the bottom of the separator 10. The steanr box 51 is arranged transversely with respect to the separator and declines forwardly, and its upper wall has a plurality of transverse rows of perforations 55, which are covered by means of transverse plates '56, spaced apart, and whose under faces have transverse grooves 57, which communicate with the corresponding perforations 55, and extend to the free edges of said plates. The steam entering the steam box through the pipe 31, passes through the perforations 55, and the grooves 57, and filters up through the ore, and finishes the melting of the coarse particles of ore passing over the steam table increasing the temperature of said ore and filling the separator with steam,

thus maintaining-the separator at a high degree of temperature. The melted sulfur discharged from the lower drum 9, passes onto said steam table and is moved forwardly along said table by means of the chain conveyer 58. This conveyer is formed of endless sprocket chains 59, and is mounted to travel in the tracks 60, carried by the framework 52. These tracks are formed of channel irons and the said chains 59 have the lateral rollers 61, which move in said channels, and fastened to said chains are the transverse scraper blades 62,, which engage with and force the melted sulfur down along the steam table. A chute is mounted on the framework 52, and has the side members 63, 63. The steam table forms the bottom ofthis chute throughout the length of said table, and said bottom continues from the table throughout the full length of the chute and is preferably formed of sheet metal (34, the sides of said chute also being preferably formed of sheet metal. The melted sulfur is carried down said chute by said conveyer until it reaches the screening sections 65, formed in the sides 63, of the conveyer, and the liquid portion thereof passes out through said screening sections onto the deflectors 66, G6, and is by them delivered onto the moving apron 67, formed of open mesh wort. The residue is carried on up the chute which inclines upwardly from this point, and is delivered into the waste outlet 68, and passes thence through the waste lines 69, (39, into the waste tanks 70, 70. The sprocket chains of the conveyer 58 travel over the respective idler sprockets 71, 72 and 73, and are driven by the sprocket wheels 74, which are fixed upon the shaft 75. This shaft has a spur gear wheel 76, fixed thereon, in mesh with a corresponding gear wheel 77, which is fixed upon the shaft 78, and this last mentioned shaft has a pulley 79, fixed thereon, through which rotation may be imparted to it. The apron 67 moves over the rollers 80 and 81, the former of which is fixed upon the transverse shaft 82. The shaft 78 has a sprocket wheel 83, fixed .thereonwhich is in alinement with the corresponding sprocket wheel 84, which is fixed upon the short transverse shaft 85. and rotation is imparted from the sprocket wheci 83 to the sprocket wheel 84, through the sprocket chain 86, which operates thcreover. The shaft 85 also has a sprocket wheel 87, fixed thereon, which is in alinement with the sprocket wheel88, which is fixed on the shaft 82, and rotation is 'imparted from the sprocket wheel 87, to the sprocket wheel 85, through the sprocket chain 89, which operates thereover, and thereby rotation is imparted to the roller 80, through which the traveling apron (S7 is driven. The melted liquid falling onto said apron passes therethrough onto a transverse deflector 90, preferably formed of sheet metal, and is by said deflector discharged into the vat 91,

vided with a superheater 92, preferably con-' sisting of a Worm through which hot steam may be conducted. Any particles of unliquefied material are carried by said traveling apron and discharged therefrom through the discharge opening 93, into the waste outlet 6.8. i

The sand, water, and liquid sulfur Which collects in the drum 9 is delivered from said drum through the pipe 50, and discharged into the separator 10 and is received by the trough 94, which is fixed at one side of the chute 63, and conveyed doWn along said trough and discharged onto the traveling apron 67, by the spout 95. The vat 91 is provided with an outlet 96, through which the liquid sulfur passes onto the traveling apron 97. This apron travels over the rollers 98 and 99, the former of whichis fixed upon the shaft 100, and the latter of which is an idler; The shaft100'has asprocket' wheel 101, fixed thereon which is in alinement with a "corresponding sprocket'wheel 102, fixed upon the inner end of the shaft I 2 35, and operating over these sprocket wheels is the sprocket chain 103, which lmparts rotationfrom the former to the latter, and' which rises to the top of the vat 91, and is conducted therefrom and discharged onto the filter by the pipe 115, and falls to the bottom of the separator and may be Washed out from said retort passing through the Waste lines 69, into the tanks 70. The scum or other refuse which rises to the surface of the vat 91, passes into the trough 116, at the The waste is admitted from the separator into said tanks 70, and discharged there: from alternately, and passes thence into the waste'pit 112, from which it maybe 'delivered to any desired point through the elevator 113. Two waste .tanks are provided in order that the waste may be dischargedfrom the separator without relieving the steamvpres'sure therein, as it is always de- 65. tumble to maintain said pressure, and not to .late through it.

appreciably lower the temperature of the retort.

' It may be observed that the drum 9. is provided with a false bottom, as 114, spaced from the bottom of the drum and which is removable and formed of perforated material. This is provided to arrest and hold the coarse ore and allow the steam to perco- The finer particles and melted ore pass through the perforations and are carried off through the pipe 50, as explained. At stated intervals, it is necessary to remove this false bottom for the purpose of repairing or replacing the same.

By the use of the apparatus hereinbefore described, the sulfur or other similar minerals may be extracted from the ores bearing the same, by a continuously operated process, and delivered therefrom in a compara tively refined state;

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for extracting sulfur from ore, including a plurality of heater drums connected together, and arranged one above the other, means for delivering ore thereto, means for. introducing a heating fluid into said drums, and a separator arranged to receive the heated ore delivered from the drums, and provided with means to separate the refuse from the mineral therein. i

2. An' apparatus for extracting sulfur from ore, including a separator, a plurality of heater drums arranged one above the other, the lower drum communicating with said separator, an ore bin connected to and arranged above the upper drum, suitable valves controlling the passage of ore from said bin to said upper drum from each drum to the one beneath it and from the lower drum to said separator, 'an elevator for delivering ore to sald bin,- means for-introducingfla heating fluid into said retort and into said respective drums and bin, and

means Within the separator for separating the refuse-from the mineral of the ore. 3. In a device .for extracting sulfur from its ore, a separator provided with a steam box, a steam line entering said steam box,

the upper side of said box being provided with transverse rows of perforations, plates covering said rows, said plates being spaced apart, and formed with grooves, which conmet with said perforations and extend to the edges of the corresponding plates, thus forming a steamy ,table, over which the heated ore passes, an inlet chute through which the ore is delivered to said table, and

' fromore, a separator provided with a sulfur ore delivering chute, the bottom of which is formed into a steam table, a steam box of which said table forms a part, said table being "provided with outlet passageways, a steam line through which steam is conducted into said. box, and means arranged within the separator to receive the melted sulfur from said table and t0 separate the foreign matter contained therein, therefrom.

5. An apparatus of the character described, including a plurality of heater drums connected together. and arranged, one above the other, a separator to which the lower drum is connected, means for delivering ore to the upper drum, means for introducing a heating fluid into said drums,

means controlling the discharge of the ore from the respective drums, and means Within the separator for separating the meltedsulfur contained in said ore from the refuse therein.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a separator of a plurality of heater drums connected together, and arranged, one above the other, the lower drum being connected to said separator, a sul- .from the respective drums, means for introducing a heating fluid into said drums, means contained within the separator for separating melted sulfur contained in said ore from the refuse, and means for discharging the separated sulfur and refuse separately, from said separator.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin Witnesses.

- EORGE M. SHIRES.

Witnesses:

E. V. HARDWAY, IRENE BRUNS.

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