US2375552A - Trommel - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1945- I c. c. HERBERT TROMMEL Filed Oct. 19, 1943 I 5 1 INVENTOR v Patented May 8, T945 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,375,552; 1 "rnoMM ELf g y Charles o. Herbert, San Jos Calif.

iI lipplication dctober lfi,1943, Sei'ialNof50d909, I

Itis one object of the ,present invention toprovide a trommel constructed and arranged to crushthe materialpassing therethrough and to deliver the same in condition for processing on a concentrating table.

. It is another object of th invention to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the material operated upon is caused to move continuously through the same and iseifectually prevented from wedging or clogging, a clear path of travel for said material being maintained at all times.

It is also an object of the invention to provide I a device of the character indicated wherein the dust raised by the operation of the crushing means may be quickly and easily removed.

In this device as now conceived balls are used in the crushing operation, and it is the intent of the present invention to provide means whereby the balls are caused to advance through the the member with the discharge end of the, track .3, This member I has a slot 8. formed therein toextendthroughout its length in a position to trommel together with the material being operated upon, and to cause the automatic return of the balls to the entrance of the trommel after completing a journey through the same, while the said material is discharged at the discharge end.

Finally it is an object to provide a device of the character indicated that will be economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction, strong, durable, and highly eflicient in its practica1 application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a discharge end elevational view of helical groove or track as 3 extending from the a receiving. end of the trommel to its discharge end where it discharges upon a screen as 4 which rotates as a unit with the shell I.

Axially mounted in the shell I through the medium of supporting arms 5 is a hollow conical member 6 having its larger end disposed at the receiving end of the shell I and its smaller end at the discharge end of the shell I, with a permit material received from the. track 3 id be discharged on to the screen 4.

In each annular section of the spiral is placed a ball as 9 of sufficient size and weight to perform its function properly, and in the lower side of the member and at the larger end thereof is formed an opening I0 sufiiciently large to permit the passage of a ball therethrough.

At spaced points throughout the length of the spiral track 3 are formed lifting-devices such as the platforms or sockets II, radially arranged relative to the center of the shell I, and formed in such a manner as to carry a ball 9 upwardly a distance as the shell rotates and then permit it to fall down to the next lower shelf and with crushing force on the material therein. In the drawing six lifters are formed equally spaced about each full turn of the spiral track, but they may be made in any desired number or form and spaced as desired, so the balls may fall at unequal intervals.

Assuming the shell I to be rotating slowly in 9 in the lowermost sockets II are carried upwardly as indicated in dotted lines at I3, and then as the shell revolves they roll off of their (respective shelves as indicated in dotted lines at I4 in Figure 4, and drop down into the next succeeding socket II. In the free and unobstructed. fall from one socket to the one fol lowing each ball acquiressufficient force to crush the material in the socket into which it falls.

This trommel is designed to be used particularly in placer mining where much of the gangue consists of clay which requires further breaking down to release the particle or particles of gold which may be entrapped therein, although it may be used equally successfully in the breaking down and cleaning of any other type of ore.

I The continuous rotation of the shell I in same direction will,of course, cause a continuous forward movement of the balls and the material flowing into the shell, but the continued pounding to which the material is subjected gradually I reduces it to very fine state ready to be. passed over a concentrating table and the gold removed tubular member I. connecting this latter, end of therefrom. As the crushed and powdered material passes from the track 3 to the member I, the continued rotation causes the said material to fall through theslot 8 to the screen 4 where such larger particles as passed through the shell without suflicient breaking are separated from the crushed and finished material.

Each rotation of the shell will also cause a ball to pass into the member I and thence roll to the conical member 6, where it rolls down to the discharge opening 40 andis returned to track 3, and the cycle is repeated Obviously, in a structure of the type described the material entering at I2 is kept continually in motion and is 'efiectually prevented from clogging in any point during its path of travel, and the continual stirring which it receives as it flows from one socket to the next permits every portion to be subjected continually tn the ra -ending action of the balls.

A still further advantage of the operation as performed by this machine is that each time the mater alis pounced in ene racket ane then poured back into the nextsoelret much the lightest and finest dust is momentarily floated in the air and may be easily blown out of the shell.

with with its larger end terminating at the rece'iving end of the groove, and said conical tube being provided with an opening at its larger end disposed to discharge balls into the receiving end of the groove,- and grinding balls freely movable in the groove, and that portion of the groove merging with the tube being provided with means for discharging crushed material 'tnereirom on to the screen. H M g

Images