US1941490A - Process and mechanism for separating intermixed divided materials - Google Patents

Description

R PEALE Jan. 2, 1934.,

PROCESS AND MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING INTERMIXED DIVIDED MATERIALS Filed Jan. 23, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTO EY Jan. 2, 1934. R. PEALE r 1,941,490

PROCESS AND MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING -INTERMIXED DIVIDED MATERIALS Filed Jan. 23, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. PEALE Jan. 2, 1934.

PROCESS AND MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING INTERMIXED DIVIDED MATERIALS Filed Jan. 23, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "TTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1934 PROCESS AND MECHANISM FOR SEPARAT- ING INTER/MIXED DIVIDED MATERIALS Richard Peale, St. Benedict, la, :assignor, by memo assignments, to Peale-:Dazvis Company, Wilmington, 1301., a corporation of *Delaware Application January 23, I930. Serial No. 422,781

24 Claims.

The invention relates to a new and-usefulprocess and mechanism for separating intermixed divided materials wherein the pieces or particles vary relatively greatly in size and vary relatively i little in their specific graV-ities, and more ,particularly to such a process and mechanism especially capacitated for separating unsized or runof-mine coal.

Objects and advantages of the invention will :be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, construction, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one .em-

: bodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section '25 of a mechanism embodying the invention, being taken in part on line 1:1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the separating deck or table shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a full side elevation of the mechanism shown .in Fig. 1, onasmaller scale;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic top ,planof the separating deck with the separating partitions removed, showing a scheme for zoning the air-pervious deck surface;

Fig. .5 is a partially diagrammatic plan of the sub-deck structure of Fig. 1, with the bed-supporting deck removed;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.;

Fig. '7 is a transverse vertical section showing the detailed construction of a shutter valve for efiecting a pulsating of the air currents;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the valve shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a detailed section of :a refuse discharge box;

Fig. 10 isa longitudinal verticalsection through a table embodying the invention, showing a modified form of sub-areal 'air control;

Fig. 11 is a hor zontal section taken on line ll-1l of Fig. '10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section showingadetail of the actuating means for the shutters in Fig. 10.

Fig. 1'3 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. -6 illustrating means .ior varying the transverse inclination-of the table.

The invention pertains broadly to the separation of intermixed, divided materials, the term idivided being used to designate broken, frag- 6o .mentary, granular, pulverulent or other materials comprising separated parts or pieces of different kinds of material. The invention in its novel features is more particularly directed, however, to effecting automatic separation, to practically the ultimate degree of possible efficiency, of such mixtures of materials wherein the various pieces of the different kinds of materials vary relatively very greatly in size, while varying relatively little in their specific gravities.

With this purpose in view, the invention is further directed to effecting, concurrently with the separating process, an approximate :size classification, -both of the heavier and the lighter particles, whereby there is attained unusual and practically perfect efiiciency in cleaning and separating such widely varying unsized materials.

One zkind-of intermixeddiv-ided materials which the invention is especially capacitated to successfullyseparate, is a mixture of coal, bony and 0 rock, with the other impurities :usually present in the ocal, as .it comes from the mine, that is, runef-min'e :coal, except that the large lumps, say from seven inches -up are crushed, although this crushing is not necessary even up to pieces ten 35 inches in size. Usually, however, it is simpler to remove a few large chunks of coal and rock than to run them over separating tables. The rock and'other impurities are separated from the run-ofemine coal by the present invention entirely automatically, on a single cleaning table, and without previous sizing of the materials, except as to said crushing or removing the very largest lumps, the practically perfect separation being efiected down through the finest dust of the intermixed materials.

The conditions of the inventive problem solved by the invention are of the greatest practical difficulty due to the wide range of variations in the sizes of the pieces :or particles of the intermixed materials, and concurrently therewith the relatively small differences in the specific gravities of the materials, and due further, frequently, to a very high percentage of impurities in the finer part of the mixture.

The terms lighter and heavier as used hereinafter will be understood as applying to the specific gravities of the various intermixed, divided materials and not to the difference in mass of particular pieces of various sizes.

The invention in one of its main features is directed to providing a process and mechanism for purifying unsized run-of-the-mine coals, and especially those which are unusually difucult to purify, whereby the refuse fines, along with all the other impurities, may be very efficiently and completely separated from the intermixed materials, without the use of any separate or additional treatment or mechanism. In purifying some coals, a most serious difficulty is encountered in separating out the very fine refuse particles, which tend to cling to, and remain intermixed with, the otherwise cleaned coal. This difiiculty is especially marked with the relatively soft bituminous coals, which are very friable and frequently contain soft dirty streaks. The ratio of refuse to coal in the finer particles is often much greater than in the larger sizes of the intermixture. It is extremely difficult to remove the intermixed fine refuse particles by the same treatment which separates out the ordinary and larger sized particles, and also to prevent a remixing of the fines with the cleaned and partially cleaned coal. Accordingly, in the prior purification of difficult and refractory kinds of coal, special devices and additional mechanisms have been employed for seperately treating and retreating the fines so as to effect purification of the coal approximately to the washability curve for the particular coal.

Another important object of the present invention is also directed to thus efficiently purify large quantities of run-of-mine coal (for instance, up

to three or four hundred tons per hour) upon a tables.

' single separating table.

The principle of operation of my invention makes possible the efficient purification of such large quantities of even these diiiicult coals upon relatively very small cleaning By virtue of the invention the space occupied by the table is greatly reduced, the surface area of the table being cut down one third or one half from those of most present tables having a like capacity. A further and resultant effect of my invention is that the construction and operating costs of the entire cleaning plant are correi the locus of the fines resulting from such size classification; and as a second feature of the process, impelling the settled impurities, by friction and inertia, and mechanical direction, transversely upwardly and somewhat backwardly to discharge at the rear and side edge of the bed, the cleaned coal flowing to discharge as a superior flotant stratum, moving forwardly over the bed, and preferably also by the action of gravity due to forward and downward inclination of the bed.

As preferably practiced, the invention comprises regulably feeding the unsized or run-of-mine coal onto a longitudinally inclined, air-previous table or deck so as to maintain upon the table a bed of the materials of substantial and predeterminable thickness, gradually undergoing Stratification and purification. This bed is subjected to the loosening and lifting or fiotant action of air currents and to longitudinal vibration to effect stratification and separation. The table is preferably inclined longitudinally so that the bed is progressed downwardly toward the lower front end of the table to effect a forward fiow and discharge of the superior flotant stratum of cleaned coal. On the deck are a plurality of preferably parallelly arranged separating partitions, which extend diagonally and rearwardly from the side wall of the table toward the refuse discharge devices, and serve to catch and guide settled particles of the heavier material, i. e., the impurities in an upward and rearward direction along the table to discharge at the outer side edge of the bed. The major component of the longitudinal reciprocating impulses is directed upwardly or rearwardly of the table, so that the settled heavier particles are impelled by friction, inertia, and mechanical constraint upwardly to the rear end and upper edge of the bed, by a short and direct path and they are there regulably discharged. The deck is also preferably inclined transversely, and such inclination is variable to control the discharge flow or travel of the settled heavy particles.

The pure coal or like lighter material is buoyed up and superiorly stratified by the lifting air force and so progresses generally downwardly toward the lower or front end of the bed as a substantially fiotant stratum, and is discharged freely downwardly over the front end of the table as a purified product. Concurrently with the Stratification and separation, an approximate size classification of the materials is also effected, which in the present embodiment is substantially transverse to the direction of flow of the bed. Hence the stratum of coal discharges as a cleaned and transversely sized stream over the front end of the table.

The concurrent transverse sizing of the materials efiects, or is utilized in effecting, a very thorough and practically immediate separation of the fines. In preferred practice, the settling and separation of the particles of heavier material out of the forwardly travelling bed is regulated, preferably by zoning the air currents, so that the impurities settle approximately in order of decreasing size forwardly along the table. Hence, in the rear part of the bed only the largest rock particles for the most part settle to the table surface, and these are removed immediately from the rear part of the bed. Forwardly in the bed, the stratified and fiotant coal particles approach somewhat nearer the table surface, due to the removalof much of the refuse, to the thinning of the bed, and also to the lessened air current intensity. The largest coal particles will be least buoyed up by the air, and are therefore somewhat lower in the bed and less flotant than the finer particles.

As a result, the progressing large coal particles eventually or occasionally contact with the top edges of the separating partitions. Such contacts, while not sufficient to direct the coal particles or lumps upwardly and outwardly along with the settled rock particles, yet will partially deflect the coal lumps from their straight forward direction and will guide them forwardly and across toward the inner side edge of the table, in a direction substantially opposite to that of the settled impurities, which move by friction and inertia behind the separating partitions.

As the bed progresses downwardly along the table, first the largest and then the intermediate coal particles will intermittently encounter the upper edges of the separating partitions and will be deflected transversely and inwardly. As a result, the purified coal stratum is classified suble s stanti'a'lly according to sizes transversely ofthev table. The finest particles of the coali will" be practically unaffected by: the separating: partitions, and will not swerve from their straight forward course; Thus, most of thefine particles of coalwill accumulate and travel forwardly along the outer side portionof'thebed. As the particles of the bed approach the forward end of thetable, the sizing becomes gradually more complete, so thatthe great proportion of the coal fines will be along and near the outer side edge of the bed.

The finest particles of refuse-will tend to-gather along the outerside of' the table together with the coal fines. These refuse fines are at first largely flotant and tend to travel forwardly-with the coal, especially during the earlier stages of the process, becauseofr the strong air currents and also because of their tendency to cling to and remain intermixed. with the coal. As a result, the line refuse particles, together with: the fine coal particles, will be found alongv the outer side edge of the bed. Since the discharge. of all the refuse is along said outer side edge, this fine refuse can bedischarged immediately upon its settling down out. of the fine coalparticles onto the table. By virtue of this operation, the. fine refuse. is handled in the same manner as the coarser refuse, without any additional-mechanism or treatment Furthermore, the dischargeof the refuse takes. place immediately upon its stratifying out. of" the coal,. so that there is no opportunity for the fine. refuse to become. remixed-with the clean coal, asfrequently happens when it is necessary to progress the settled fine particle entirely across the table.

It will be understood that the foregoing gen.-

eral description, and the following detailed descriptionas well, are explanatory and exemplary of the invention but are not restrictive thereof. It. will. also be understood that the theory of operation as outlined represents my present best understanding thereof, but, shouldnot be'construed as restrictive of the actual manner of operation, which in practice secures the results stated; nor should the invention be limited thereby.

Referringnow in detail totheembodiment of the invention illustrated by way of examplegin the accompanying drawings, an air-pervious table or'deck. 1 is provided, and may consist of perforated metal sheets, the relative areas of the'perforations and the solid portions determining the degree of air-perviosity for any part of the-table, and the tablemay be. zoned into areas of: different degrees of air perviosity or air 7 current strength The table is preferably of-rectangular form and relatively long and narrow. Retaining walls. are provided; for holding the'bed'of run-ofthe-mine coal, or other materials upon the table, comprising a transverse bed-retaining wall- 2 acrosstherear end of the table and bed-retaining walls 3 and 4.extending. along either side thereof. A mechanically driven and regulable feeding hopper 5 ofany suitable construction may be pro,- vided for feeding the intermixed materials to the table, the locus of feed. being. preferably intermediate the ends of the table and relatively near the rear end thereof.

In the embodied form of means for mechanically vibrating the bed, the table is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation; through a very short path, over a stationary airchamber' fromwhich the lifting and loosening air currents are forced upwardly through the bed of materials on-the table. As'embodied (Figs. I and 6), the retaining walls 2, 3, and 4, extend downwardly below. thedeck surface and areattached to a. supporting frame 8. of longitudinal. and cross beams, fastened together at the corners of the table structure, and attached to the inner faces of the walls 2, 3 and 4. The frame 8; has also a plurality ofv intermediate cross-beams and intermediate longitudinal beams 9..

Beneath the deck 1 is an apertured sub-deck 10 structure, forming part of the sub-areal zoning system later to be described. The deck 1 is supported above sub-deck 10 by a plurality of longitudi'nally-extending beams or plates 11 and a series of similar, diagonally-disposed members 12, which. fornr supporting frame work for the upper deck and also act. as partitions dividing the air space between the upper deck I and the sub-deck 10 into-a plurality of relatively smalland mutually isolated chambers 13. These chambers constitute the sub-areas of the further air-control system to be'later described.

' The means for reciprocably mounting. the table above the stationary air chamber, as embodied, comprises a plurality of supporting arms or links 15', spaced apart along either side supporting frames 8' of the reciprocable table. These arms 15 are pivotally connected at their upper ends 16 to the frame 8, and at their lower ends are pivoted on the-longitudinally-disposed side members 1'7 of the top frame of the non-reciprocating part of air chamber '18, which is located beneath and supplies air to the table. The air chamber 18 may be longitudinally variably inclinable together with the tableitself to vary the table inclination as desired. The pivotally connected supporting arms 15 are upwardly and forwardly inclined, whereby the-short reciprocating movement of the table-is upwardly and rearwardly and downwardly: and forwardly. Preferably the lifting rearward movement is-relatively rapid and may terminate in a jarring impact if. desired.

The embodied drive for effecting the preferred longitudinal vibration or reciprocation of the bed (Figs. 1' and 3) comprisesa link 19 pivoted at: one end to the rear cross frame of the table. At its other end the link is connected to an eccentric 20 mounted on adrive shaft. 21, journaled in supports 22 and driven by a belt and pulley 23. Suitable springs 24 may be used to form a resilient stop means if desired, the springs being shown-in tension between stops 25 and 26, mounted respectively on the reciprocating and nonreciprooating table supporting members.

The embodied form of means for creating the loosening and floating air currents and for forcing them through the bed of materials, comprises the stationary'air' chamber 18. The air chamber preferably decreases taperingly forwardly in cross-section, so as to maintain the air current force, so far as the air chamber is concerned, of practically uniform intensity throughout the length of the table. The stationary air chamber: 18' and the reciprocable table are connected together by a flexible air impervious meme her such as a canvas juncture 30.

The air currents may beprovided from any suitable means, such as a rotary fan 35 (Fig. 3), driven from a motor or any other suitable power source by means-of a belt 36, or other suitable air intake of the fan. The air current is driven 1,53-

5 of the table as already described.

The air currents forced through the bed of materials may be either steady or pulsating, so far as concerns the main features of the present invention, and as embodied, means are provided for optionally creating a pulsating air current or a steady air current, as may be found desirable or most eflicient with different kinds of coal to be purified. As embodied, a rotary shutter or valve 42 is mounted within the duct 40, on a transversely-disposed shaft 43, which is journaled in the side walls of the air duct 40. The shutter 42 may be operated in any manner desired, as by means of a driving pulley 44 fixed on the shaft 43, driven by a belt 45, from the reciprocating table drive. The drive of the shutter 42, however, may be controlled by any known or other suitable variable-speed device, if desired, to vary the time of the pulsating lifting air current action through the bed. Thus the air may be supplied to the bed in a series of recurrently modified waves of regulable lifting force which vary between predetermined maximum and minimum limits, and the period of the pulsations relatively to the table vibrations may be regulably determined, by the speed of the shutter and the regulation of the fan intake.

Means are also provided for further varying the intensity of the pulsating air current, and as embodied, the blades of the valve or shutter 42 (Figs. 7, 8) are made in two parts or plates 50 and 51, connected together by a plurality of bolt and slot connections 52. Thus the plates 51 may be moved to and fro radially to completely close the cross sectional area of the duct 40, or to permit a certain area of by-pass therebygiving greater or less intensity and range to the pulsations of the air current.

While I have shown and described the shutter 42 as located at the rear end or entrance of the main air-supply chamber 18, it is to be understood that its position is not so limited. Under many circumstances and operating conditions it will be preferable to position the pulsation-creating shutter intermediate the ends of the air chamber, whereby the pulsations produced are of different phase and have different and variable pressure limits longitudinally of the table. A mechanism showing means for mounting a pulsating shutter at various median positions in the air chamber is shown in the pending application of myself and Rembrandt Peale, J r., Ser. No. 326,878, filed December 18, 1928.

In certain aspects of my invention, and for best action with certain difficult kinds of coals, I prefer to employ both the pulsating air current and a zoned air perviosity of the deck 1, although so far as concerns certain features of the invention and the purification of less difficult and refractory kinds of coal, one of these may be utilized without the other. In Fig. 4 is shown a diagrammatic arrangement of a highly efficient form of air zoning of the deck 1. In this form an area a of greatest air perviosity is shown extending from the rear end of the table over a relatively large area, and with succeeding zones b, c and d of successively less air perviosity forwardly of the table. The use of these two air-controlling means together gives a very powerful, widely ranging and diversified control of the lifting and floating air currents, sufficiently diversified and powerful to deal with the most difiicult problems of coal purification.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, I further prefer to use, as one of the resources of my table, the feature of sub-areal zoning disclosed in copending patent application, Ser. No. 252,544, dated February 7, 1928, of Kenneth Davis, and this feature may be used with either the zoning or the pulsating air current, or both, where it is found either necessary or efiicient for thorough purification of refractory coals. In Fig. 5 is shown a form thereof wherein the floor 10 of the sub-areal air chambers (already described) are provided with a plurality of apertures 14 into which may be fitted stoppers 14' in greater or less number to control the intensity of the air currents in the particular subarea defined by the particular chamber 13.

In accordance with one aspect of my invention, the refuse, and especially the refuse fines are discharged from the bed at or near the locus of the fines established or created by the size classification which is effected concurrently with the horizontal stratification and separation of the intermixed materials. The embodied. form comprises a plurality of refuse discharging devices spaced apart at the side edge of the table where the fines are sized or classified, and also at the rear end of the table. For this purpose I employ discharge boxes which are substantially similar to those shown in preceding applications, the refuse which has settled upon the table being discharged thereinto through orifices 63 in the side and rear bed-retaining walls 2 and 3 (Figs. 1 and 2), these apertures being provided with adjustable gates or slides 64, mounted upon the side walls by bolt and slot connections 65, the adjustment of the gates determining the thickness of the settled stratum of impurities which shall ilow out through the corresponding apertures 63. With certain types of coals, it may be found convenient or eflicient to close down some of these gates entirely; On the exterior of the orifices 63 are corresponding discharge boxes 69 (Figs. 1, 2 and 9), each of the boxes having an air duct connection 70 with an air current manifold '71 (Figs. 1 and 3), the air manifold connecting by a valved opening 73 with the air duct 40 (Fig. 3).

The boxes are provided with discharge regulating gates '74 hung on pivots '75, at the discharge end of the refuse boxes. These gates may be regulably weighted, by means of weights '76 hung'on pins 77, to determine the pressure at which the refuse may be discharged from the particular boxes. The weighting of thegates 74 and the positioning of the slides 64 provides an independent regulation at each'of the discharge boxes, and thus at a plurality of points along the extent of the bed, for minute local regulation of the discharge with respect to the stratification at the individual points. The refuse is discharged into a chute '79, emptying onto a conveyor belt 80. The fiotant andpurified coal is discharged from the front of the table into a chute 83, and the middlings (comprising bony a substance of intermediate specific gravity and some still intermixed rock and coal) may be discharged into a chute 84,-the two chutes ed on the side wall structure .of the table.

corner of the-deck will be largely determined by the inclinations of the table and other regulatory settings in connection with the particular coal being treated.

In Figs. 10, -11 and 121s shown a somewhat different form of the means for.providing either a pulsating air current or a steady air current,

and as therein embodied, aseries 0f sub-areal chambers 100 are formed beneath the deck :1,

the floors of these chambers having openings 101 therein. In each of these openings a rotary shutter or valve 102 is fixed on a shaft 103, journaled in theside walls 3 and 4 of the-downwardly extending portions of the side 'wall of the table. The'shafts 103-(Figs. 1 1 and 12) at one end project outwardly and are journaled in flanged bushings 104, mounted in theside wall. Loosely sleeved on these extended ends of the respective shafts are corresponding worm wheels 109, which mesh respectively with a like, series of worms 110, fixed on a longitudinally-extend.- ing shaft 111, journaled in bearings 1 12,'mount- Shaft 111 is driven fromanysuitable motor or other drive 113.

121, which are engageable with notches in the hub of the worm 109 when properly positioned, that is, when the cap is slid to locking position, and locks the worm to drive with shaft 111.

When the cap disengages as it is slid backwarduwould compriseia separatingdeck of rectangular ly the particular shutter is stationary. When all the shutters are stationary and wide open a steady air current is delivered throughout the deck area. A clamping screw 123serves to hold the cap in either position, and its movement is limited in either direction by means of collars 124 and 125, .pinn'ed in fixed position on the shaft 103. If desired, further air regulating means may be used, and for this purpose thereiis shown at the right hand in Fig. 11 a plurality of apertures 127 in the floor of one of the chambers 100, and these maybe left open or filled by stoppers 128, as desired.

In Fig. 3 the table is shown provided with means for varying the longitudinal inclination In Fig. 13 means are shown for varying and regulating the transverseinclinationof the'table.

As shown a plurality of pivotal supports 141 are provided for the table side wall upon the-side member of the-frame '8and aplurality of-screwclency and separating capacity of larger tables,

of this capacity and dimensions would have a than does the longer V table.

threadedsupports 142 are-provided for theother side wall of the table upon the opposite side frame member 8 of the reciprocable table frame.

The .junctures in theair chamber walls at these loci will beprotected by suitable resilient or flexible'air impervious closures 1 43.

Referring now 'to those features of the invention which permit substantial reduction in size of a table and plant, while retaining the efliit will be noted that the coal-spillage edge150 at the lowerfront endof the table is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the table and is intersected by the ends of the lower separating partitions.

On the present standard or V type Peale- Davis coal cleaning tables; the coal is progressed forwardly to discharge-over the front end of the table and the settled impurities are guided forwardly and outwardly by separating partitions at an angleof about 11 degrees or more to the longitudinal axis of :the table. In order to insure that no refuse will be discharged over the front end of the table with the coal, the front coalspillage edge is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the :table and substantially parallel to the separating partitions, so that the delivery ends of said separating partitions do not intersect the frontend of the table. a

On the :present Peale-Davis tables of the V type, (disclosed, for example, in French Patent type table having a cleaning capacity of 300 tons i110 of raw coal :per hour may commonly have a side of the deck while the short side will be only 25 feet long. A single. deckof a. duplex table width of about 7 feet. All of the foregoing dimensions :relate to 'asinglesdeck of a duplex or twin-deckitable having the capacities stated.

'A table constructed according to my .present invention a'nd having the same cleaning capacity as theN type table'hereinbefore described, would have both-sides of the same length as that of the short side of the Vtable-i. e., a 300 ton table -.planhaving=a=length of about 25 feet and a width of about 7 *feet. Thus the invention makes it possible to reduce the area of the .present V type 300ton table, an amount equivalent to the area of 'a :righttriang'le having a 7 foot base and an altitude of 35 feet, or 122.5 square feet of deck surface. Since the total area of the V'type table 'of the dimensions outlined above is 297 .5 square feet, a tablebuilt-according to my present invention would effect an areal reductionof about'l percent.

on the standard V table of corresponding capacity. Furthermore, the smaller size of table requires a much smaller housing and dust chamber Theseifigures illus- J trate only a raw of "the very :great -savings in *mat'erialiand cost entailed :by the invention.

Itv-will be understood that the figures and diinensions set forth-above are used for the-sake of illustration and merely :by way of example.

They are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any way.

While in the foregoing description I have referred to the new processes and mechanisms of my invention as being particularly useful in obviating the difficulties inherent in a coal cleaning process which effects a simultaneous size classification of the particles and pieces, it will be clear that the processes and mechanisms herein disclosed are also broadly applicable to the separation of coal and other particulate materials where size classification does not take place, or where the particles are of substantially uniform size.

The manner of practicing the process will be understood from the statements in the preamble of the application as to the objects and advantages of the invention, and further elaboration thereof is not believed to be necessary.

From all the foregoing it will be understood that a process and mechanism has been provided realizing said objects and advantages, and it will be further understood that departures may be made from the particular disclosure, within the scope of the accompanying claims, without departing from the principles of the invention and Without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:-'

1. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly progressing bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge.

2. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly progressing bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum to the same side edge of the bed as the finer particles of the coal.

3. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly progressing bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum to the same side edge of the bed as the finer particles of the coal and to discharge at a plurality of points in relatively small quantities along said side edge.

4. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly and downwardly progressing bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge.

5. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly and downwardly progressing bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum transversely and diagonally toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge, and discharging the cleaned coal as a superior transversely sized stratum.

6. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly and downwardly progressing and transversely.

inferior stratum transversely and diagonally toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge at the lower side of the bed.

'7. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly and downwardly progressing and transversely inclined bed of materials, concurrently horizontally stratifying and transversely approximately sizing the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum transversely and diagonally toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge at the lower side of the bed at a plurality of separate points.

8. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly progressing bed of materials, subjecting same to upwardly directed and locally variably regulated air currents to concurrently stratify and transversely size the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge.

9. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly progressing bed of materials, subjecting same to upwardly directed air currents to concurrently stratify and transversely approximately size the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum transversely and diagonally toward the location of the finer particles of the bed to discharge.

10. The process of purifying run of the mine coal which comprises maintaining a forwardly and downwardly progressing and transversely inclined bed of materials, subjecting same to upwardly directed and locally variably regulated air currents to concurrently stratify and transversely approximately size the coal, and impelling the impurities in an inferior stratum toward the location of the finer particles at the lower discharge means for a settled heavier component material spaced apart along a side edge of the table and separating partitions directed transversely and rearwardly toward said discharge means.

12. A mechanism for separating intermixed divided materials varying relatively greatly in size and varying relatively little in their specific gravities including in combination means for regulably supplying the intermixed materials to maintain a bed thereof undergoing separation" a table having an air pervious deck, means for forcing air currents through the deck, discharge means for a settled heavier component material spaced apart along a side edge and rear end of the table, and separating partitions directed transversely and rearwardly toward said discharge means, and means for progressing the bed generally forwardly and across said separating partitions.

13. A mechanism for separating intermixed divided materials varying relatively greatly in size and varying relatively little in their specific gravities including in combination means for regulably supplying the intermixed materials to maintain a bed thereof undergoing separation, a table having a transversely inclined air pervious deck, means for forcing air currents through the deck, discharge means for a settled heavier component material, and separating partitions directed transversely and rearwardly toward said discharge means, and means for progressing the bed generally forwardly and across said separating partitions.

14. A mechanism for separating intermixed divided materials varying relatively greatly in size and varying relatively little in their specific gravities including in combination means near the rear of the mechanism for regulably supplying the intermixed materials to maintain a bed thereof undergoing separation, a table having an airpervious deck inclined downward both forwardly and transversely, means for forcing air currents through the deck, discharge means for a settled heavier component material spaced apart along the lower side edge of the table and separating partitions directed transversely and rearwardly toward said discharge means.

15. The process of separating intermixed divided materials which comprises supporting a bed of the intermixed materials on an inclined airpervious surface, subjecting the bed to the lifting and stratifying action of upwardly-directed air currents, whereby the heavier material settles to the surface and the lighter material forms a superposed, substantially fiotant stratum, imparting to the bed a positive movement opposite to its direction of gravital flow whereby the settled heavier particles are impelled upwardly by friction and inertia and the downward gravital flow of the flotant particles is enhanced, and defiecting the settled heavier material to travel transversely of the imparted movement and discharging said heavier material in the direction of said transverse travel.

16. A process of pneumatically purifying coal which comprises progressing a bed of intermixed coal and impurities along an air-pervious table, passing air upwardly through the bed, gradating the air pressure areally of the bed and further controlling the air by causing it to pulsate in independently controlled areas.

17. A process of pneumatically purifying coal which comprises subjecting a bed of intermixed coal and impurities to the loosening and stratifying action of lifting air currents, subjecting the air to a general gradation throughout the extent of the bed and to flexibly and independently controlled pulsating action throughout localized areas of the bed, whereby the air action at every point of the bed will be the resultant of the general gradation and the flexibly controlled pulsations.

18. A mechanism for pneumatically purifying raw coal including in combination a vibratable air-pervious table, an air chamber for receiving and supplying a constant pressure of air beneath the table, means for locally pulsating the air current passing through different areas of the table, and means for flexibly and independently controlling said local pulsating means.

19. A mechanism for pneumatically purifying raw coal including in combination a vibratable, air-pervious table, an air chamber beneath the table for supplying air thereto, and a plurality of rotatable shutters arranged beneath the table for locally pulsating the air currents supplied to the table from the air chamber.

20. A mechanism for pneumatically purifying raw coal including in combination a vibratable, air-pervious table, an air chamber beneath the table for supplying air thereto, and a plurality of rotatable shutters arranged in mutually isolated compartments beneath the table for locally pulsating the air currents supplied to the table from the air chamber.

21. A mechanism for pneumatically purifying raw coal including in combination a vibratable, air-pervious table, an air chamber beneath the table for supplying air thereto, and a plurality of independently controllable, rotatable shutters arranged beneath the table for locally pulsating the air currents supplied to the table from the air chamber.

22. The process of separating intermixed, divided materials which comprises maintaining a bed of said materials upon a longitudinally inclined air-pervious support, longitudinally reciprocating the bed and passing lifting and loosening air currents therethrough, causing the flotant stratum of lighter material to fiow by gravity substantially in the line of reciprocation and against the impulse thereof to discharge, and impelling the settled heavier material upwardly along the support and guiding and constraining it to travel transversely of the reciprocatory impulse to discharge at a side edge of the bed.

23. The process of separating intermixed, di-

vided materials which comprises maintaining a bed of said materials upon a longitudinally inclined air-pervious support, longitudinally reciprocating the bed and passing lifting and loosening air currents therethrough, causing the flotant stratum of lighter material to flow by gravity substantially in the line of reciprocation and against the impulse thereof to discharge, preventing discharge of said fiotant stratum at the sides of the bed, and impelling the settled heavier material upwardly along the support and guide ing and constraining it to travel transversely of the reciprocatory impulse to discharge at a side edge of the bed.

24. The process of separating intermixed, divided materials which comprises maintaining a bed of said materials upon a longitudinally inclined air-pervious support, longitudinally reciprocating the bed and passing lifting and loosening air currents therethrough, causing the flotant stratum of lighter material to flow by gravity substantiallyin the line of reciprocation and against the impulse thereof to discharge and impelling the settled heavier material upwardly along the support and guiding and constraining it to travel transversely of the reciprocatory impulse to discharge in a plurality of streams at a side edge of the bed.

RICHARD PEALE.

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