US1380650A

US1380650A - Apparatus for the concentration of ores

Info

Publication number: US1380650A
Application number: US203024A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hebbard James
Original assignee: Minerals Separation North American Corp
Current assignee: Minerals Separation North American Corp
Priority date: 1917-11-20
Filing date: 1917-11-20
Publication date: 1921-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 1938-06-07

Description

I. H EBBA RD.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES. APPLICATION FILED' NOV, 20, I9I7. RENEWED MAR. 26. 192l- Patented June 7,1921.

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' in series 18 provided JAMES HEIBBARD,

' eeaeeo.

OEBROKEN HILL, NEW SOUTH. WALES, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO MINERALS SEPARATION NORTH AMERICAN conro m'rromor NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

Application fi1ed November 20,

To all'whomiit may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ager, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Central Mine, Broken Hill, in the State of New South Wales, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Concentration of Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the concentration of sulfid ores by what is commonly known as flotation separation, in which the ores are subjected to aeration in an aqueous separating medium in the presence of a frothing .agent, or in an emulsified aqueous'medium,

for the formation of a froth or scum of the metallic sulfids.

This invention is equally applicable to collective separation in to differential or preferential flotation in which a float concentrate of certain suliids from other sulfids is obtained.

This invention is applicable to the treatment of ores, concentrates, tailings, slimes or other metallurgical products, and it will be understood that in this specification'the term ores will include all such metallurgical products as well as the crude material.

The present invention is an improvement in or modification of the apparatus described 1 in the'British Patent No. 10666 of 1915, to Seale and Shellshear. In this prior patent the aeration of the pulp is effected by the flow of the material itself, by feeding or delivering the pulp through a tube or pipe which delivers into theseparating vessel drawing in air therewith which is entrapped so that the aeration and emulsification of the mixture is effected by the flow of the material itself. In one modification of the apparatus described in the specification of the said prior patent the discharge pipe from one separating box to the next box with a number of inlet holes for air .so that the air is sucked in by the flow of the material itself.

. in this aforesaid Patent Ser. No. 37350 an equalizing feed box is provided at the Specification of 1917, SeriaI No. 203,024. Renewed March 26,

HEEBARD, manwhlch an indiscrimi-" nate float of sulfide is obtained, as well as Lettersl n Patented June a, i921.

1921. Serial No. 455,980.

top of the series of separating vessels, and

the flow is controlled and regulated by adusting the size of the orifices in the outlet of. each separating vessel by means of a removable hollow plug, additions of water .or separating mediumbeing made to each separating vessel to compensate for that removed wlth the float concentrates, whereby -a constant level is maintained withinthe separating boxes. With this method of operation however an equalized and constant feed of pulp is necessary, and relatively continuous supervision is required. An object of this invention is to provide means. for controlling the flow of pulp through the apparatus and for maintaining a constant level within each' separating I vessel, independent of any variations which may take place in time to time or the withdrawal of the float concentrates.

lhis is accomplished by providing means for maintaining a constant level within each separating vessel, comprising an overflow vent arranged at a lower level than the overflow for the concentrates, such overflow dis charging into the next vessel or box in the series. w

An apparatus of the class described, constructed according to this invention, comprises a series of separating vessels arranged one above the other, having a number of discharge pipes leading from the bottom of one vessel into the next separating vessel below it in series and delivering beneath the surface of the liquid therein, each of these said pipes having a series of holes or perforations therein in combination with an internal injector nozzle whereby the drawing in of the air through the said holes is assisted. Each of said boxes has an overflow the original, feed from lip at the top for the discharge of the float ily understood reference will nowbe had to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings wherein- .Figure l is a view in elevation of an equalizing box and two superposed separating vessels forming part of a series, the lower 'se )aratin vessel bein shown in section.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in sectional eleva tion of details in the construction of'the ap paratus, hereinafter are fully described.

The apparatus comprises a number of boxesor separating vessels at of'rectangular or other convenient shape arranged one above the other in superimposed series so that the flow of the'pulpis from one vessel to the other, the distance between each being such that sufiicient head is provided for effecting .thenecessary aeration of the pulp. The top box or vessel of the series is-adapted for an equalizing feed box. Each box or vessel a is provided with a'number of discharge pipes 6 leading from the bottom thereof and projecting beneath the surface of the liquid in the vessel or box next below it in series. j

Each of the discharge pipes Z) is-provided internally with an injector nozzle c, and with a series of holes cl through which air is drawn in by the flow of the material. The discharge pipes b are connected to flanges e fitted to the bottoms of the feed boxes by means of screwed ni oples f and coupling rings or collars 9, ti having flanges h which are gripped between the upper ends of the discharge pipes b and the low-er ends of the flanges e.

If preferred the discharge pipes Z) can be made in two or'more parts connected by screwed ring couplings g, and the small ends I of the nozzles can be provided with detachable reducing ends 2', as shown in 5,

whereby the nozzles can be readily and quickly removed and cleansed internally should they become choked .or partiallyv choked by any obstruction entering the same with the material being treated by the apparatus.

Each box or vessel a is provided with an overflow lip j discharging into a launder for the float concentrates.

The pulp is fed by means of a chute or launder Z (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) to the i top box of the series, which constitutes an equalizing feed box, whence it flows by way of the discharge pipes Z) to the top separating vessel. TV hen the flow of pulp to the equalizing box is greater than can be accommodated by the discharge pipes Z), the pulp that side fitted with the equalizing overflow outlet m to the top and near the opposite side 1e injector nozzles 0' rises in the said box and passes. through an overflow outlet m into a compartment n I from which it is discharged by a pipe 0 which projects beneath the surface of the pulp within the separating vessel or box next in series.

The overflow outlet mis formed by making a hole in or by cutting away portion of the side of the box, and the height at which the pulp will flow through the said outlet can be regulated by adjusting the position of a plate or gate 39 fitted slid'ably over the said outlet. The slidabl'e plate or gate 10 is pro vided with vertical guideways g and 1s raised and lowered by operating a hand wheel 7" working on a screwed rod s.

The upper end oflthe discharge pipe 0 is provided with an axially disposed pipe t the upper end of which is opened to the atmosphere (see F ig. 3) the object of: which is to permit air to pass into the discharge. pipe 0 to aerate the pulp passing therethrough.

The interior of each separating. vessel is provided with a 'baflie M which inclines from of the said vessel as shown in F ig/Q. The inclined baflle it serves to crowd the float concentrates toward the lip jand facilitates its delivery to the launder 70. I

The lower part of the baffle is situated below the overflow outlet m, and a hole '1). is

formed therein to permit the material when rising in the separating vessel to enter the equalizing compartment The separating vessels. a are all. constructed as above described, and the float concentrates are delivered on opposite sides thereof, alternatively, into launders is which deliver to a' common chute w, and the gangue or other residues are discharged from the lowermost separating box of the series. I

' The construction and arrangement of the separating boxes and their parts insure a constant level of. material being always maintained therein without the necessity of adding water to compensate for the withdrawal of concentrates, and insures the flow of material being maintained with sufficient aeration for the formation of a froth or scum of metallic sulfids.

I claim--.

1..Froth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which the aeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of a gravity flow of the ore pulp through successive separating vessels: comprising a level-regulating overflow for each vessel dis? posed at a lower level than its concentrates overflow, and each level-regulating overflow (except the last) discharging directly into the next separating vessel in the series.

2. F roth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which the aeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of agitation are effected by vessel having pipe by flotation separation,

consisting of air inlets a gravity flow of the ore pulp through suc cessive separating vessels: comprising a level-regulating overflow for each vessel disposed at a lower level than its concentrates overflow, and each level-regulating overflow (except the last)- discharging into the next separating vessel in the series, and means for adjusting the height of each level-regulating overflow.

3. Froth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which the aeration an hydraulic action of a gravity flow of the ore pulp through successive separating vessels: comprising a level-regulating overflow for each vessel disposed at a lower level than its concentrates overflow, and each level-regulating overflow (except the last) discharging into the next separating vessel in the series, and means for causing the flow of air with the overflow pulp during its passage from each level-regulatthe next separating vessel. 4. In apparatus for the concentration of ores by flotation separation, a separating discharge means in the bottom thereof, an overflow lip for the float concentrates at one side thereof, a compartment on the opposite side thereof, an overflow outlet leading from the vessel to the said compartment, an adjustable gate for regulating the height of such overflow, a discharge pipe depending from the said compartment, means for admitting air to the aforesaid pipe discharge means to flow with the pulp therethrough, and a battle or defleeting plate in the separating vessel inclining toward the concentrates overflow lip.

55. Apparatus for the concentration of ores of vessels arranged one above the other, discharge pipes leading :trom one vessel to the next below it, for each vessel anoverflow compartment also having. a pipe delivering into the next vessel in series, and means for admitting air to the said discharge pipes comprising a series name to this specification in in the said PIPES.

with injector nozzles disposed within the pipes in position to induce flow of air through said inlets with the pulp.

6. Apparatus for the concentration of ores by flotation separation, comprising a series of superposed separating vessels each having discharge pipes leading to the next in series, overflow lips on the separating vessels for float concentrates, launders on the sides of the separating vessels to receive the float concentrates, overflow compartments on the sides of the said vessels and arranged in communication therewith, a discharge pipe depending from each compartment to the next separating vessel in series, and air inlets and injector nozzles in the said discharge pipes for inducing the flow of air with the pulp passing therethrough.

7. vApparatus for froth-flotation separation of the class in which the aeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of a flow of the pulp through successive separating vessels; comprising a concentrates overflow, a level regulating overflow and a tailings outlet for each. vessel, each level regulating overflow (except the last) discharging directly into another separating vessel in the series.

8. F'roth-flotation concentration apparatus of the class in which the aeration and agitation are effected by hydraulicaction of a flow of the pulp through successive separ rating vessels; comprising a concentrates overflow, a level regulating 'overflow and a tailings outlet for each vessel, each level regulating overflow (except the last) discharging directly into another separating vessel in the series, and means for adjusting the height of each level re lating overflow. In testimony whereof have signed my the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

j JAMES HEBBARD. Witnesses:

Gr. MOD. HUNTER, G. A. 'ROBINSON.