US1363760A - Ore-separator - Google Patents

Description

E. F. COLDWELL.

ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1911.

1,363,760, Patented Dec. 28,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F76. 4. HQ 24 "En 25 39 ERNEST F. GOLDWELL, F LACl-IZNE, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNOB, To AR OLEll TEN-TS, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ORE-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Le tters Patent.

Driginal application filed March 9, 1917, Serial 170. 153,756. Divided and this application filed May 28,

all arizcni dim- 1y concern it known that I. Enxns'r F. CoLnwnLL,

oi -the United States, at present reof Lachine, in the Province Domini n of Canada, have and useful improveatom, of which the rollowing 1s a full, clear, and exact descrip- L ihe object of a simple and eincient rating and retaining the gold particles at a him expense for ooth plant and opercosts.

a The apparatus censis s briefly or a nop- I apparatus ror sepa- I v. w. -L 1 l oer containing tie material to be L-lGtltQCr,

a h ion i ty rrom the rial lows -1gh phi ty oi spouts 0 water jets. ihe material :1 1 i i. all tlll'OllQll pass;

I I 1 jected to the action oi steam je s and are pro ected into cups containing amalgam. 7 .1. 1 L1 .1] r 1- 1. ihe greater part or LDC gem is ca-ignt in .he cup" retained the amalgam,

. w M w rile he is carried out the mater. J 1 -i 3 -11 Any SZHLl our]; oi goid which adheres to or is c=. mercury cups in screening device below. The mercury catches in addition to gold, any p amalgam which may hash of the cups by the sand. The scree de c t series of t ays, w-n e .14 A gilaiekL in the drawings which illustrate the ventionzelevation of the device,

Serial No. 171,557.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the trays, showing the screen therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates a hopper adapted to contain the material, having the bottom thereof provided with grooves or corrugations 12. The bottom is also inclined transversely to the grooves, and at the lower edge, each groove terminates in a spout 15, which spouts deliver the material to tunnels 1 L set in the mouths of the passages 15, and terminating opposite the view openings 16, so that the feed of material from I spent may be observed. A water pipe leads into each spout 13, and is arranged direct a of water against the outflowing material. This water flows up in each groove a certain distance, keeps the material stirred up, and then flows down in the b- H give velocity to the material and water, so

that they discharge with considerable viofrom the passages 15 into the amalgam cups 20. These cups rest in a rack 21 in a chamber 22, and are each provided near the top with an inwardly projecting lip 23 designed to prevent as far as possible the escape of gold or amalgam from the cup. The velocity of the material entering the cup keeps the line grains of material practically in suspen ion in the water, so that as the water flows out over the rim of the cup, the earthy matter is carried with it, while the heavier gold is retained in the cup by the force of gravity and by the amalgam. The water and earthy material, together with such particles of gold as have not been separated, and any particles of amalgam which have escaped from the cups, flow out of the chamber through the descending passage 2%, at the discharge end of which is an annular apertured water pipe 25 arranged to direct a jet of Water downwardly around the mouth of the oss sage 24;. This curtain of water acts as a condenser for any steam which may remain in vaporous form in the apparatus, and also provides additional water to agitate and wash the material on the trays 26 and 27.

These trays are suspended one above the ther by means or" links 28 and 29 from fixed frame or other members 30 and may be agitated by any suitable means, such as the eccentric devices 31. Each of the trays or pans is slightly sloped toward the center, where sumps or depressions 32 and 33 are formed, which may be filled with mercury for the purpose of catching and holding any particles of gold or amalgam that may have escaped from the apparatus above. The upper tray 26 is provided with a peripheral flange or wall, which is slightly lower at the ends 34 than at the-sides 35, so that all escape of material will be at the ends of the tray. The lower tray 27 may be formed similarly or may have its flange of uniform height all around. Inthe bottom of each tray, a screen 36 is provided, which has slight movement independent of the trays. Each screen is suspended by a single mem ber 57 at each end, as distinguished from the links 28 and 29 attached to the sides of the trays. The screens may be agitated by an eccentric device 38, similar to that used for agitating the trays, but arranged to move the screens in the opposite direction to the trays, and preferably at a higher speed. The higher screen speed may be obtained by giving the eccentric device greater throw as shown, or by any other suitable means. It will be clearly seen in Fig. 2 that the suspension members of the screens are attached on opposite sides of the center line, so that in addition to the agitation imparted by the eccentric devices, the screens will have a slight oscillatory movement in a horizontal plane. If desired, the screen may be given in addition a buckling motion, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, by limiting the movement of one suspension link, so that it checks the end of the screen, which it supports, while the opposite end connected to the eccentric device continues to move. It will be understood, however, that this buckling or bending o1 the screen may be downward as well as upward, or may be dispensed with altogether. The limitation of movement of the suspension link may be effected by means of a friction joint or in any other manner found suitable. The amount of water and steam necessary to produce proper movement and separation While gold is the only metal mentioned in the description as reclaimable by the apparatus, it will be understood that the inven tion is in no way limited to this particular metal, as platinum and possibly other metals may be separated by the same or a very similar apparatus from sand and earthy matter with which they are mixed. It will be understood that air or other fluid may be used instead of steam to assist in breaking up lumps of the material by dashing them against the sides of the passages 15 and into the amalgam cups.

laving thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a tray, a screen therein, means for moving the tray, and means for producing a compound movement or the screen, said movement be ing partly in the line of tray movement, partly oscillatory in a horizontal plane and partly a vertical movement.

2. In a device of the class described, a tray, a screen therein, means for moving the tray and means for moving the screen, means for resisting the movement of said screen, whereby the screen will be buckled, said screen moving and screen movement resistance means being arranged out of alinement relatively to the direction of screen movement, whereby the screen is oscillated about a point within its periphery simultaneously with the other movements thereof.

3. In a device of the class described, a tray, means for moving the tray, a screen in the tray, and means attached to one edge of the screen for moving the same relatively to the tray in substantially the plane of tray movement, a suspension member for the screen attached to the opposite edge thereof from the moving means and arranged to limit movement of the screen edge to which it is attached to a degree less than the movement imparted by the screen moving means, whereby the screen will be buckled relatively to the plane of the tray.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST F. COLDWELL.

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