US321835A - Apparatus for disintegrating ores - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

- H. B. M'EECH.

APPARATUS FOR DslNTEGRATING DRES.

No. 321,835, Patented July 7, 1885.

NITED ASTATES PATENT muon.

APPARATUS FOR DISINTEGRATING ORES.

ySiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,835, dated July 7, 1885.

Application filed January 8, 1884. Renewed November Q5, 1884. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HARRISON B. MEEcH, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Disintegrating Ores, and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for disintegrating ores, and more especially to an apparatus or machine for disintegrating ores in accordance to the process for which Letters Patent No. 250,37 7 were granted me December 6, 1881, which consists, essentially, in grinding or disintegrating the ore when subjected to high temperature.

rlhe object of this improvement is to provide an apparatus of such construction that it shall be capable of withstanding a high degree of pressure and have a capacity for operating upon a larger quantity of ore at once. A further object is to provide for a circulation of the ore, and thereby insure a constant feed of fresh material to the grinding-surfaces.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the grinding surface and rotary mullers or grinding-plates.

A represents the receptacle in which the ore is ground. This receptacle is made of iron or steel of sufficient strength to withstand an internal steam pressure of two hundred pounds (more or less) to the square inch, and is of a capacity to contain and have treated therein from ve to ten tons (more or less) of ore at a time.

Receptacle A is constructed with a cylindrical central portion, A, and with hemispherical ends Al A, firmly riveted to the central portion, A.

I do not limit myself to the exact form of receptacle shown, as the ends thereof can be conical, but prefer the form shown, as it insures great strength and capacity.

B is the operating-shaft, and is journaled at its upper end in a bearing, c, secured to the receptacle, and provided with a stuffing-box, c', of any approved construction. The shaft B may be driven by the bevel-gearing c e.

'The lower end of the shaft is supported on a conical step, I, placed in bearing 2, the latter being provided with a stuffing-box, i', to prevent the escape of steam; or, instead of the above-described construction and arrangement of parts, the shaft may extend through the lower head or end, A3, and be provided with a stuffing-box on the outside thereof, as indi` cated in dotted lines. The lower head, A, has secured to its inner curved surfaces the grinding surface H, consisting of tapering plates radiating from the bearing c', and eX- tending to the upper edge of the lower head.

To the lower portion of the sh-aft B is secured a spiral elevator, E, which may be of any desired length and pitch. To the cuter edge of spiral elevator E is secured a cylinder, D. Arms F are rigidly secured at their inner ends to the cylinder, while to their outer ends are hinged the mullers or grinding-plates G. The mullers and sectional grinding-surface secured to the lower head are preferably made of cast-iron with chilled wearing-surfaces. Vhen unduly worn, the plates or surfaces may be readily renewed. Receptacle A is provided with a man-hole, L, of sufficient size to admit a workman in the event it is desired to repair or renew any portion of the apparatus within the receptacle. Apipe, m, provided with a stop-cock, m', connects with the upper end 0f the receptacle for the admission of the partlycrushed ore and water thereto. Steam, which materially assists in disintegrating the ore, is admitted to the interior of the apparatus through pipe n, which is provided with a stop-cock, n. The ore, after having been sufficiently ground, is blown off through pipe O, which is provided with a stopcock, O.

The steam admitted into the apparatus assists in the disintegration by penetrating the pores of the rock and expanding the same, and also by its tendency to decompose the hard rock or elements that make up the bulk of ore deposits.

Having described the relative arrangement and construction of parts of my improved apparatus, I will brieiiy describe its operation. The ore is first crushed and pulverized by any approved type of maehi ne, and reduced to the proper degree of lneness-say about forty mesh. \Vhen water or any liquid chemical solution is mixed with the ore, and the mixture is transferred to the interior of the rcceptaele A through the pipe m, steam, either live or superln-ated, is then admitted through pipe n until an internal steam-pressure is obtained of one hundred pounds (more or less) to the square inch. Power is then applied, and the shaft B is rotated, which operates to subject the ore to a grinding` action between the grindingfsurfaee H andthe rotary mullers or grinding-plates G. At the same time the spiral elevator serves to raise the ore that has passed downwardly between the grindingsurfaces and allow fresh ore to be fed thereto, and thus insure a constant circulation of the ore and a uniform grinding of the contents of the receptacle. The grinding may be continued any desired length of ti mesay five hours, (more or less)--although the time required for proper grinding is dependent on the character ofthe ore under treatment. After the ore has been properly reduced it is blown off through pipe O into any suitable receptacles Yfor its subsequent treatment by precipitation and amalgamation for extracting the precious metal therefrom.

It is evident that many changes in the form, construction, and relative arrangement ofthe parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,

and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myselfto the exact form and construction ot' apparatus shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, isv I. In an apparatus for disintegrating ores, the combination, with a closed receptacle constructed with a hemispherieal end having a grinding-surface removably secured thereto, ofa rotary shaft provided with hinged mullers, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for disintegrating ores, the combination, with a closed receptacle, of the rotary shaft, the grinding-smrces, and the spiral elevator and cylinder, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for disintegrating ore, the con'ibination, with the closed receptacle having semicireular lower end provided with a detachable grinding-surface, a revolving shaft, an elevator secured to the shaft, and mullers or grinding-plates connected with said shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l. have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRISON B. MEECI'I.

\Vit nesses:

S. G. No'rrrNGiLmr, Griendt; F. DowNINe.

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