US1861469A - Filter - Google Patents

Description

III

Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOMER P. CURTIS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 J. ERNEST HIGSON, OF DENVER, COLORADO FILTER Application filed May 28, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in filters and has reference more particularly to a filter intended for use in connection with ore separation for the purpose of dewatering pulp.

In the process of separating the mineral Values from gangue the ore is ground to a fine powder, usually in the presence of water, and before the ground ore can be shipped to a smelter, it is necessary to remove the water. In many instances the water is removed by first depositing the ore in a bin where the water drains off after which the pulp is dried by heat. The removal of the water by the method just described is slow and very costly because the price of coal at the place where the drying must be done is often very high.

It is the object of this invention to produce a simple and inexpensive filter that shall be highly effective for the purpose for which it is intended and which will therefore be suitable for small mills where expensive filters of the usual type are inhibited due to initial cost as well as the cost of operation.

This invention, briefly described, consists of a supporting base formed from a hollow member and provided at its top with an anvil. A plunger having a head of large diameter is located centrally of the anvil and mounted for reciprocation in a vertical direction. Means comprising a cam is provided for moving the plunger upwardly with a gradual motion and then releasing it so that it will fall freely by the action of gravity. Connected with the support is a container that is formed from a cylindrical member having an imperforate bottom that is located a short distance from the lower end of the container. This container rests on the anvil and is provided with a massive piston that makes a tight fit with the cylinder walls. Sealing means is provided between the walls of the piston and the container and the piston is provided with an opening that is separated from the container by means of a filter medium. The container is filled with pulp and the piston put in place after which a cam is rotated so as to move the container upwardly and then release it permitting it Serial No. 540,521.

to fall upon the anvil where it will be brought to a sudden stop. The inertia of the piston and of the solid particles, together with the action of gravity will put the pulp under pressure whereupon the liquid will pass out through the opening in the piston and the solid particles will move towards the bottom of the container.

Having thus briefly described the invention, the same will now be described in de tail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diametrical vertical section through the improved filter;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the piston with the screen and filter material removed;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 35, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section through a portion of the piston and container showing the same to a somewhat larger scale.

In the drawing numeral 1 represents a cylindrical base to whose lower end a flange 2 is secured. The base is adapted to be secured to a supporting surface 3 in the manner shown in the drawing. Secured to the upper end of the tubular member 1 is an anvil 4. This anvil is circular and has a downwardly extending circular flange 5 that projects into the interior of member 1. The anvil is also provided with a downwardly extending centrally located cylindrical portion 6 that has a central opening 7 within which the plunger 8 is mounted for reciprocation. The upper surface of the anvil has a circular depression for the reception of the enlarged head 9 of the plunger. Secured to the lower end of the plunger is a steel wearing plate 10 that is held in place by means of a threaded plug 11. Extending transversely of member 1 at one side of the diameter is a shaft 12. This shaft is mounted in bearings 13 and has secured to it a cam 14. This cam has a cylindrical surface that extends from point a to point 6. The tip of the cam has been indi cated by reference character 0. The surface between points 6 and 0 is curved and the surface between points 0 and a extends radially with respect to the shaft. The shaft and the plunger 8 are so located that a vertical plane extending through the axis of the shaft is tangent to the outer surface of plunger 8. Secured to one end of shaft 12 is a pulley 15 and when the shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the cam will operate to move the plunger 8 upwardly until it reaches its maximum vertical position and it willthen drop freelyowing to the factthat the surface a, c is radial as above explained. Supported on the anvil is a container having a cylindrical wall 16 and an imperforate bottom 17. The bottom is located a short distance from the lower end'of the cylindrical wall 16 and is adapted to rest on the top of t-he'anvil. Located within the container is a piston 18. This piston is quite heavy and is provided on its underside with four transa verse grooves 19 that intersect at the center.

The center is provided with an opening 20 into the upper end of which a hollow plug 21 is threaded. A ball 22 is located within the hollow plug and forms a check valve. Secured tothe upper end of the plug is a hose 23. The'lower surface of the piston has clownwardly extending angular shoulder 2% and has secured to it a heavy wire screen 25 that is held in place by means of screws 26. The surface between the transverse grooves 19 is provided with a plurality of concentric grooves 27. The lower outer'edge of the'piston surface is chamfered as indicated by 28 and this chamfered portion is adapted to receive a rubber ring 29 that forms a seal. A filter cloth 30 is interposed between the lower surface of the piston and the contents of the container. The container is provided with two diametrically located lugs 21 to which a bail 22 is connected.

Let us now assume that the apparatus described above and shown on the drawing is assembled and that the container is partly filled with a pulp and that the piston is resting on the upper surface of this pulp. Vhen the shaft is rotated, the container and its contents will be gradually raised due to the cam action and after the tip of ,thecam passes beyondthesurface of plate 10,'the container will drop freely under the action of gravity and will be'brought to a sudden stop when it strikes the upper surface of the anvil. During the fall of the container the piston as well as the pulp attain a certain velocity. hen the container is brought to a sudden stop, the inertia or momentum of the piston'will tend to move this downwardly and by thisaction the pulp will'be subjected to considerable pressure that will force the liquid through the filter medium and into the hose 23. The sudden stoppage of the container alsotendsto effect a separation between the liquid and the heavier solid particles suspended in the liquid because the momentum 5 and inertia'of the particles will tend tomove them downwardly through the liquid after the container has been brought to a stop and in this way a selective separation takes place, that brings the heavier particles to the bottom. The continued operation of the filter provided that vibrates the container until the filtrate is loosened and drops from it. This mechanism has not been shown because it constitutes another invention.

It will be seen from theabove description that the filter shown on the drawing and described herein is exceedingly simple and that it can therefore be made at a comparatively small cost. Only a small amountof power is required to operate it and it is therefore especially well adapted for use in mills located at mines far removed from sources of cheap power and is therefore suitable 'for the smaller mills where the cost of equipment and of operation is an item that must be given careful consideration.

Although a single machine has been shown, it is to be understood that a mill .is usually provided with a large number that can be connected to the same shaftor interconnected in any suitable manner.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A filter comprising, in combination, a container having an imperforate bottom and adapted to contain a liquid containing solid particles in suspension, means for gradually raising the container and for releasing the same so that it may fall by the action of gravity and a stop for bringing the container 'to a sudden stop whereby the solid particles of the liquid will continue to move downwardly in the liquid by the combined action of their inertia and the action of gravity.

2. A filter comprising, in combination, a container having an imperforatebottom, and adapted to contain a liquid having solid particles in suspension therein, means for supporting the container, means for gradually raising the container and for releasing it at the top'of its movement whereby it may fall under the influence of gravity, a stop'for suddenly interrupting the movement of the container whereby the solid particles suspended in the liquid will continue to move downwardly due to the combined action of gravity and their momentum, and means for removing liquid from the container.

3. A filter comprising, in combination, a container having an imperforate bottom and cylindrical walls, said container being adapted to contain a liquid having solid particles suspended therein, a piston located in the container and adapted to be supported by the contents thereof, said piston having an opening for the escape of the liquid, a filter medium interposed between the opening and the interior of the container, a support for the container and means for gradually lifting the container from the support and then releasing it so that it will fall freely under the action of gravity whereby it will strike the support and stop suddenly thereby subjecting the contents of the container to pressure produced by the inertia of the piston and whereby the solid particles will be moved towards the bottom by the combined action of gravity and their own inertia.

4. A filter comprising a support, a plunger carried thereby and mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means comprising a cam for moving the plunger upwardly by a gradual movement and then releasing it so that it can fall freely under the influence of gravity, a cylindrical container having an imperforate bottom, a portion of the wall of the container projecting beneath the bottom and forming a guide and a massive piston located within the container.

5. A filter comprising a support, a plunger carried thereby and mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means comprising a cam for moving the plunger upwardly by a gradual movement and then releasing it so that it can fall freely under the influence of gravity, a cylindrical container having an imperforate bottom, a portion of the wall of the container projecting beneath the bottom and forming a guide, a massive piston located within the container, and sealing means between the walls of the container and the pisten.

6. A filter comprising a support, a plunger carried thereby and mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means comprising a cam for moving the plunger upwardly by a gradual movement and then releasing it so that it can fall freely under the influence of gravity, a cylindrical container having an imperforate bottom, a portion of the wall of the container projecting beneath the bottom and forming a guide, a massive piston located within the container, and sealing means between the walls of the container and the piston, the piston having an opening extending through it, and a filter medium interposed between the interior of the container and the opening.

7. A filter comprising a support, a plunger carried thereby and mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means comprising a cam for moving the plunger upwardly by a gradual movement and then releasing it so that it can fall freely under the influence of gravity, a cylindrical container having an imperforate bottom, a portion of the wall of the container projecting beneath the bottom and forming a guide, a massive piston located within the container, and sealing means between the walls of the container and the piston, the lower surface of the piston having a plurality of grooves communicating imperforate bottom, a portion of the wall of the container projecting beneath the bottom and forming a guide and a massive piston located within the container, the lower edge of the wall of the piston having a chamfer, an a sealing ring located in the chamfer.

In testimony whereof I aflix in signature.

HOMER P. C IURTIS.

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