US1949647A - Centrifugalizer - Google Patents

Description

.March 6, 1934. Q c sou 1,949,647

CENTRIFUGALIZER Filed June 1, 1951 2'Sheets-Sheet 1 l Inventor,

WM/Htomey.

March 6,1934. L, Q ERICKSQN 1,949,647

Filed June 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Shet 2 @00 GCDGQGCD 5 00 IV/AI lQ/Ai Patented Mar. 6, 1934 "i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1,949,647 CENTRIFUGALIZER Lewis G. Erickson, Bellingham, Wash. Application June 1, 1931, SerialNo. 541,172

3 Claims. (01. 209-199) This invention relates to centrifugal separators and amalgamators in general, particularly to that class and description of separating and amalgamating mechanisms applicable to the concentration of precious metals, but more especially to centrifugal separators, wherein mercury is employed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a centrifugalizer in which rotary mechanism is provided and so arranged and operated that the centrifugal forces developed therein will be more highly efficient in the separation and amalgamation of gold and other precious metals from milled quartz, from dirt or sand, than heretofore attained in. machines of this character now in use.

An important object of the invention is to provide a centrifugalizer of the character described, in which certain operative parts when worn, can be taken out of the machine and replaced with new parts without the loss of the. main structural operative parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a centrifugalizer of the character stated, in which the rotary parts can be milled and put together to a nicety, whereby perfect symmetry and balanced operation will be attained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a centriiugalizer of the character described, in which a mercury receptacle or trapis located under the overflow waste, in which all mercury and amalgamations that may overflow from the rotary bowl will be collected, separated and saved.

. a still further object of the invention is to provide a centrifugalizer mechanism of the class described, wherein the velocity of rotation of certain parts can be so varied that the centrifugal force will be multiplied a desired number '1 of times above gravity, and the mercury em- Figure l is a central vertical section of the invention with part of the left front corner shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a partial top view of the invention with the top cover and feed hopper removed; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the top cover in which the curved bafiles on the underside are shown; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the rim and side wall of the centrifugal bowl and the cylindrical riflle sleeve lining with the sleeve partly developed into a plane to show the riffles in elevation; and Fig. 5 is a similar small section and development in which another form of rifiles that may be used is shown.

Similar characters represent similar parts in each of the several views. I

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the supporting frame for the centrifugalizer consists of four upright corner posts 1, l. A base member 2 and a cross member 3 fixed to the posts 1 make a complete stable frame structure for supporting the operative parts of the inven-' tion. 'A central vertical shaft 4 is fixed in the members 2 and 3 and is made verticallyadjustable by means of a threaded screw end with lock nuts 5 and 6 at the base member 2. I

The vertical shaft 4 is'provided with ball or roller bearings at 7 and 8 on which the centrifugalizing bowl 9 is supported and rotated. This vertical shaft being rigidly fixed in the frame members as described, the bowl is made to rotate in perfect balance, the ball bearings being suitably spaced apart to insure freedom from vibration.

One means of rotating the bowl 9 shown in the drawings is the disk wheel 10 which is screwed tion wheel 11 mounted on the slip shaft 12 and driven by an electric motor 13, contacts and drives the disk wheel 10', the speed of which can be varied by setting the friction wheel 11 in or out on its shaft l2.' Other means of rotation, such as a belt applied to the hubpulley l4 and connected with power means not shown, may be used. This method of operation will not have available theready means of varying the speed of rotation as in the adjustable friction wheel 11.

The centrifugalizer consists of the rotary bowl 9 with an extension 9a up its center. thus making the bowl chamber 15 annular shaped. The upward extension is milled out in the center to admit the vertical shaft 4 with its ball bearings previously described on which it is designed to rotate. This opening is made .sufliciently large to provide an annular lubricant chamber 16 around the shaft. The bowl is fixed to the top of the shaft by the nut headed screw 17. This is inclosed and protected by a semispherical cap 18 screwed to the top of the central extension 9a.

The entire bowl 9 and 9a is neatly mill'turned inside and outside to equal thickness and to center on the vertical shaft 4 when mounted thereon, and the inner surface of the outer bowl is smoothly milled to receive a neatly fitted cylindrical riflle sleeve 19 which is likewise milled to an exact thickness so the entire bowl will rotate free of vibration. This sleeve is designed to be taken out when damaged by the action of gritty sands or other substances, and replaced with a new sleeve.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the mercury rifiles comprise a series of holes 20 of uniform size and spaced equally apart and drilled through the sleeve wall. These holes are staggered in alternate rows so as to effectually receive and hold the mercury in rotation with the bowl and against its upward tendency.

The top edge of the bowl 9 is provided with an annular capping 21 made to neatly fit the top of the bowl and cover the rifile sleeve 19 with an inner overhang 22 of approximately one sixteenth of an inch. This overhang is designed to hold the vertical wall of mercury that will form on the inner surface of the sleeve when the riffle holes 20 become over-full from the amalgamation of the precious metals therein. The outer rim of the capping 21 has a wide overhang with a drip edge 23 to compel all overflow from the bowl to drip into the inclined waste flume 24 made to encircle the bowl 9.

The waste flume 24 is inclined from the front side of the machine at 24a and after encircling the bowl, it turns out into a mercury trap 25 which has an overflow discharge 26. This mercury trap is designed to catch any mercury that may be forced over the annular capping 21. The mercury will immediately settle at the bottom of the trap and to prevent any worthless materials from clinging thereto, an agitator is provided in the form of a shaft 27 through which a series of radial bars 28 are fixed. This agitator is turned by means of a friction wheel 29 contacting the disk wheel 10. The shaft 30 operates a spiral gear 31 on the shaft 27 of the agitator and the contents of the trap 25 are constantly stirred thereby and the mercury set free from the lighter worthless materials. The mercury can be drawn out of the trap at suitable intervals through the valve 32. I

The waste fiume and operative mechanism are supported on suitable frame members fixed to the upright posts 1 with proper braces and stays to comply with the usual shop practice in constructing machines of this character. The drawings are designed to show the new and novel features of the operative parts without strict attention to the frame details.

The top cover 33 is made to overlap the waste flume 24 and is provided with an inside rim 34 and curved baffles 35 so that all overflow waste is made to drop within the fiume. The central opening is provided with a ring 36 leaving openings 37 between. This ring 34 supports the feed hopper and down pipe 38 and 39 respectively. The openings 37 permit the condition of the riflies and the mercury wall thereon to be inspected when desired.

It will be seen that the down feed pipe extends down to the same level as the riffle sleeve 19 and the mixed materials put therein to be separated will be compelled to pass up the full length of the sleeve and the mercury filled riflies 20 therein.

Preparatory to putting the newly improved centrifugalizer in operation, a sufficient quantity of mercury is put into the bowl to fill the riffie holes 20 to the inner face of the rifile sleeve 19. The machine is then set rotating till the mercury passes up the sleeve till all holes are full. The materials to be separated, preferably in a watery state, are then fed into the hopper and on reaching the bottom of the bowl, the centrifugal force at once drives them up the riiiie cylindrical wall and the gold and other heavy precious metals are forced into the mercury where they amalgamate therewith, while the lighter worthless materials are forced up and out over the annular capping 21 whence they flow down and around the Waste flume to the mercury trap and outlet. Should any mercury be forced over the capping, it will be caught in the mercury trap 25 and be saved, as described.

When the mercury wall on the inside of the riflle sleeve is seen to be even with the inner overhang 22, the machine is stopped when the amalgamated mercury will settle into the bottom of the bowl chamber 15 from whence it is removed to be distilled from the precious metals to be again used. A proper amount of fresh mercury is then put into the bowl and the machine be again put in operation, The improved centrifugalizer can thus be used indefinitely and will require no care between cleanup intervals, when the length of those intervals become known. By means of the mercury trap all overflow values can be redeemed. When the riffie sleeve becomes worn by long use, a new sleeve can be put in without having to make an entirely new bowl as is now required in other similar machines.

It is to be observed that I do not limit myself to the one form of round hole rifiles, but reserve the right to use other forms of riflies where symmetry and balance can be secured. In Fig. 5 is shown another form of rifiie that can be cast on the face of the rifile sleeve to project approximately one-fourth of an inch therefrom. These rifiles are T-shaped, the top of the T being umbrella-shaped and the Ts staggered similarly to the holes and as shown in Fig. 5. It will hardly be possible to make this form of riflie as uniform in thickness and weight as with the round hole riflles.

Two or more dowels as indicated at 40, Fig. 4 join the annular capping with the bowl 9 and the sleeve 19 so that all will rotate in unison.

Referring again to the vertical shaft 4, it will be seen that the same can be adjusted vertically by means of the lock nuts 5 and 6 at the base member 2. By this means the disk wheel 10 can be so adjusted as to ride with proper weight on the friction drive wheel 11 for positive operation. 1 5

The size of the rotary bowl 9 is designed to be varied in diameter and depth to meet different requirements. It is believed that a diameter of from six to twelve inches will be the most effective in operation, though I do not limit myself to these dimensions.

The operative parts of the invention are so constructed that they can be readily taken apart for repairs or renewal of parts and for transportation in the knockdown. The feed hopper 38 and the cover 33 can be lifted from the machine to give access to the bowl chamber 15. The annular capping 21 can be removed to allow the renewal of the cylindrical riille sleeve 19. The encircling waste fiume 24 can also be removed leaving the bowl 9 free to be detached or unscrewed from the disk wheel 10 should it be necessary to renew the roller bearings or make other needed repairs. To do this the cover cap 18 must be unscrewed and the nut bolt 17 withdrawn. It will thus be seen that the construction of the invention is economical and practical in every part. Having described my invention, I claim:--- 1. A centrifugalizer of the class described, comprising a unit bowl rotatively mounted, means for rotating said bowl, and said bowl having inner T-shaped rifiies in its periphery for receiving and holding mercury and amalgam when said bowl is in rapid rotation, as described and set forth.

2. A centrifugalizer of the class described, comprising a unit bowl rotatively mounted, said bowl being adapted to contain mercury and having a top discharge, means for rotating said bowl, an annular inclined waste fiume encircling said unit bowl, and said unit bowl and waste flume inclosed with a close cover, said cover having inner curved baffles on its under side to collect and discharge overflow from said bowl when in rapid rotation into said waste flume.

3. A centrifugalizer of the class described, including a unit bowl rotatively mounted, a series of rifiies on the interior periphery of said unit bowl, means for rotating said unit bowl, an annular inclined waste flume encircling said bowl, means for collecting values that may be discharged into said waste flume, a close cover with inside baflles' to inclose said bowl and fiume, said cover having a central feed hopper and pipe extending to the bottom of said bowl, and said cover having openings near said hopper through which the condition of said rifiies may be seen when said centrifugalizer is in operation.

LEWIS C. ERICKSON.

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