US552856A

US552856A - Placer-mining apparatus

Info

Publication number: US552856A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1913-01-07

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. R. 0.. ROAGH. PLACER MINING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

lnveni or:

11.6 flack ARDREW B GRAHAM.PHOTO UD1DAWASkIN GTO'LU C4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

R. O. ROAOH. PLAGBR MINING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan Ml DREW Ev GGMMM PHOTOWQWASHING'WN DC UNITED STATES ROBERT C. ROAOH, OF IIUTCIIINSON,

PATENT EEicE.

KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF 'llVO-THIRDS TO FRANK L. FONDA, OF SAME PLACE, AND SAMUEL SACKET, OF

MARION, KANSAS.

PLACER-MlNlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,856, dated January 7, 1896.

A li ati fil d April 5, 1895. Serial No. 544,578. (No model) To (tZZ whont it nuty concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT C. ROACH, of Hutchinson, Reno county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Placer-Minin g Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to placer-mining devices particularly adapted to work in connection with streams or rivers having a deep bed of (llllCkSZtllCl, below which lie sand and gravel deposits containing the rich placergold which is to be extracted, and the object is to produce a pump which will sink quickly and easily through said uicksand and will elevate in a continuous stream the deposits of sand and gravel richly endowed with placergold, small gold pebbles, &c.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents in vertical section a double-hull craft or catamaran provided with a miningpump embodying my invention and showing the same after ithas penetrated through the quicksand to the bed of the river which contains gold. 2 is a front View of the pump. Figs. 3, 3, and 3 representa vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the pump proper detached from the derrick, the upper portion, Fig. 3, of said figure being turned at right angles to the position of the pump as shown in Fig. .2, so as to more clearly illustrate the construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line a; as of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional perspcctir e view of a portion of the outer tube or conduit forming the lower end of the pump provided with a 'alve-controlled opening. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view to show the hearing at the lower end of the shaft. Fig. '7 is an inverted or bottom plan view of the spider and the outer tube or conduit to which said spider is attached. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the pump at some distance from its lower end. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3/ y of Fig. 1, and Fig. 10 is a detail view of the sliding tension device hereinafter described.

In the said drawings, 1 designates a double-hull craft or catamaran, which is decked over in the customary manner, as at 2, and is provided with a cupola 3, bifurcated in its front end, as shown at a. \Vhen in its operative position, a derrick 5 extends vertically through the bifurcation of said cupola and has its lower end contiguous to the surface of the water between the hulls of the craft or catamaran. Said derrick consists of a pair of parallel timbers 6, connected to gether at their upper ends by a cross-bar 7, and also joined at a suitable distance from their lower ends by the stationary guide 8, which is bent centrally to form the circular ring or band 9. A second guide 10 consists of a pair of bars, which are curved at their middle to form practically a band or ring 11, and at their opposite ends to form forks 12, which embrace snugly and slidingly the inner and front and rear sides of the timbers 6. The bars forming the guide 10 are connected firmly together by means of bolts 13 and nuts 1%. This guide 10 is located, when the pump is not in operation, contiguous to the upper end of said derrick, and is adapted to slide downward thereon as the pump is put in operation, as hereinafter more particularly referred to.

About its middle the derrick is provided with the laterally-projecting trunnions 15, which engage permanent bearings 15, carried by the cupola at opposite sides of the bifurcation 4 therein. A guide 16 is composed of a centrally-located band or ring 17, provided with diametrically-opposite and laterally-projectin g trunnions 18, which pivotally engage apertures in bearing-lugs projecting inwardly from the sleeves 19, embracing loosely and slidingl y the inner and front and rear sides of the timbers (i of the derrick. lVhen the pump hereinafter described is not in operation these sliding sleeves 19 are engaged by removable pins 19, which also engage registering apertures in the said timbers, so that when necessary or desirable the derrick may be pivotally operated and carry the pump with it. If necessary for any reason,

cross-bar 22, provided with a central bearing aperture 23.

24 designates a V-shaped spider-casting, and the arms 25 of the same are beveled sharply to apoint, preferably above as well as below, as shown clearly in Fig. 7, so as to penetrate more easily and quickly through the'sand when forceddownward or when the pump is being elevated. -At their upper ends the arms 25 terminate in vertically-projecting lugs 26, so as to form externally and internally of said lugs the shoulders 27and 28, respectively. Said lugs are externally embraced bythe lower end of the tube or conduit 20, and theexternal shoulders 27 of said lugs are in contact with the lower end of said tube or conduit. Set-screws 29 or their equivalent are employed to clamp said tube or conduit and said spider firmly yet detachably together. Connecting the arms of the said spider is the horizontal cross-bar 30, which is secured by means of bolts 31, and said cross-bar is provided in the center with vertical bearingapertures Arranged concentrically within the tube or conduit 20 is the channel-tube 33, which is externally threaded at its upper end and engages the internal threads of the collar or nut 21 below its cross-bar. Said tube at its lower end is internally threaded to engage the external threads of the short nipple 33, which rests at its lower end upon the shoulders 23 of and between the lugs 26 of the spider. The channel-tube 33 is provided with this detachable nipple 33 because it will quickly wear out, and may be replaced easily, quickly and cheaply, and not necessitate the removal of the entire chan nel-tube. Extendin g vertically through the passage formed between the outer and

inner tubes

20 and 33, respectively, are a number of pipes or tubes 34. These pipes or tubes extend through perforations 35 in the collar or nut 21, and two of them, preferably, have their lower ends communicating with vertical passages 36, which extend down through the lugs 26 and through the upper portion of the arms of the spider 24 for a purpose which is hereinafter explained. The lower end of the remaining pipes will be stayed or braced in any suitable manner. The channel of the pump is continued upward by the tube 37, which is of the same diameter as the tube 33 and is threaded externally at its lower end and engages in.- ternal threads of the collar or nut 21 above its cross-bar. The upper end of said tube 37 is externally threaded and is embraced by aninternally-threaded collar 38, upon which is secured by bolts and nuts 39 the cap 40, which closes the upper end of the tube, and formed integral with said cap, preferably, is an arch consisting of upwardly-converging arms 41, which form a junction and are provided centrally with a bearing-aperture 42 in vertical alignment with the bearing-

apertures

23 and 32 of the'collar or nut 21 and the bar 30, respectively, and extending vertically through the bearing-apertures 23 and 42 is the shaft 43, which is diametrically diminished and concaved at its lower end to form a spindle which engages the bearing-aperture 32 of the bar 30 and the sharpened lower end, as shown at 44, to prevent sand working in and cutting or grinding out the bearing as much as possible. Mounted upon the shaft in the plane of the lower end of the nipple of the channel-tube 33 is the spiral wheel or knife, which is of steel or other suitable material and has its sharpened ends 45 and 46 extending parallel at a suitable angle and at the.

same distance apart, so as to form the inclined passage 47, through which the sand cut by the sharpened lower end 45 must pass before it can be further elevated by the upwardlyextending end 46. This spiral wheel or knife is secured detachably upon the shaft; by means of a set-screw 48 or its equivalent extending through its hub and impinging upon the shaft 43. Arranged at intervals above said spiral wheel or knife, preferably throughout the entire length of the channel-tube 33 and extending radially in different directions, are a number of elevating devices. These devices comprise the hub portions 49, which are secured rigidly by set-screws upon the shaft, and the blades or arms 50. These blades or arms are inclined laterally in the direction of rotation in the manner of a wind-wheel, so as to exert an elevating pressure upon the material being elevated, and also droop from their inner to their outer ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, to force or push the material outwardly at the same time. This is done principally to distribute the pressure equally upon all sides of the channel-tube, and thereby tends to direct the pump vertically downward and to relieve the derrick entirely of lateral strain when the pump is in operationthat is, when drilling its way down through the quicksand bed of a stream or river. Keyed or otherwise rigidly secured upon the upper end of the shaft above the arched cap is a friction-pulley 51, and embracing said pulley at its opposite sides and mounted loosely upon the shaft are bars 52, which extend parallel and at their front ends are forked, as shown at 53. The arms of said forks are connected by rods 54, and rotatably mounted upon the rods are idlers upon the lower rod and 56 upon the upper rod. An elliptical band or ring 57 provides a brace for said bars by connecting them at a suitable distance from their outer end,and also serves as a guide whereby to prevent the accidental disconnection with the pulley 51 IIO of the flexible connection hereinafter referred to. In addition to the pipes 34E, through which water, oil, air or steam, or all of them together, may be forced or allowed to pass, the outer tube 20 is also provided at intervals throughout its length with openings 58, and operating in guide-cleats 59, arranged vertically at opposite sides of said openings, are the slide-valves 60, by which said openings are controlled, and extending vertically upward from said slitlewalves are the rods 61, which maybe suitably guided in any suitable manner, and provided at their upper ends with handles 1'32, so that they may be operated by hand, or they may be operated otherwise than by manual power: At a suitable point in its length, preferably near its upper end, the upper tube 37 is formed with a disohargespout 63.

In the operation of this pump in deep rivers having deep beds of uicksand it may come to pass that the openings 58, which are normally uncovered, may lie possibly below the level of the quicksand, in which case they must or should be closed by properly operating the slide-valves 60, and as it will be practic-ally impossible to elevate the sand and gravel containing the placer-gold, gold pebbles, &c., at the bottom of said bed without the assistance of water or other liquid to form a mulch or slush of the sand, I may couple to the upper ends of the tubes 3% flexible or other suitable hose or, which will be kept submerged in any suitable manner, so that water may pass down through the same and mingle with the sand as it is cut by the spiral wheel or knife, or said pipes may be connected with any suitable pump by which water may be forced through the same. When the derrick is elevated with the pump to its vertical position, it is secured thereat by guyropes 65, or in any other suitable manner.

A flexible connection 66, which preferably is a cable, as illustrated, engages the frictionpulley and connects with an engine or other suitable motive power (not shown) located in the craft or catamaran. \Vhen the pump is about to be lowered and put in operation, said cable engages the pulleys 55, as shown clearly in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and in Figs. 2 and 3. When in this position it will be noticed that the upper end of the pump is a suitable distance above the engine, and that the cable extends couvergently upward with the pump. It will be apparent, therefore, as the pump moves downward that it will be necessary to tension the cable, and that after it has passed a certain point in its descent, which point is represented by the plane of the tension, the friction. of the cable will be transferred from the lower idlers 55 to the upper idlers 56, as shown clearly in full lines, Fig. 1..

While I have shown a particular form of sliding tension, which is hereinafter described, it is to be understood distinctly that I do not intend to confine myself to a tension of any particular construction. The tension device herein shown comprises an upper set of guide-pulleys 67 and a lower set of guidepulleys 68, and mounted upon the same shaft as the guide-pulleys G7, and between the same is a grooved roller 69, and mounted upon the same shaft as the guide-pulleys 68 is a second grooved roller 69, which is vertically be low the first mentioned roller. Said grooved pulleys and rollers and their shafts are mounted in a suitable frame 70, and extendin g through the same are a pair of tracks or rails 71. Upon the upper track or rail the guide roller 69 rests, and against the lower side of the other track or rail the lower roller 69 bears, so that it will be impossible for the sliding tension to become derailed. Mounted at the outer end of said guide-rails isa guidepulley 72, which is engaged by a cable '73, attached at one end to the frame of said tension device, and at its opposite end carrying a weight Tel. This pulley and the outer end of the guide rails or tracks are supported by a suitable tower or framework 75,and the inner ends by a suitable tower or framework 7 6, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 9.

In operation, after the derrick is braced or stayed in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pump is allowed to slip down until it touches the sand-bed of the river, the pins 19, of course, being removed, so that the sliding guide 16 and the sliding guide 10 may move freely down upon the track. The gates or valves of the tube 20 are now opened, and the water rushes down the conduit or chamber between said tube and the channel-tube 23 to the bottom. The engine is now started, and the power is transmitted through the cable 66 or its equivalent, and the shaft rotated,whicl1 causes the spiral cutting-wheel or knife to begin to work its way down through the sand and sink the pump-casing, also the same sliding down upon the derrick. At the same time the mulch or slush of sand and water thus displaced at the bottom is forced upward through the channeltube 33 and the tube 37 by reason of said spiral wheel or knife and the peculiar disposition of the lifting devices of the shaft until it comes to the outlet or discharge-opening 63, through which it runs to an amalgam (not shown) of customary construction, which extracts or separates the gold from the water, sand, gravel, (to. In case it is difficult for the power employed to force the pump downward, I force water, air or steam down through certain of the tubes and the openings 36 of the spider communicating with said tubes, to dislodge the gravel or sand contiguous to said openings, that the spider may more easily and quickly make its way downward. I also intend to force oil through said pipes, in order that the mulch or slush may be rendered more susceptible to the action of the cutting-wheel or knife and also to lubricate to a certain extent the journal at the lower end of the shaft. It is manifest that as the pump descends the weight 7 i draws the tension device outwardly upon the guide tracks or rails 71 until the plane of said tension device is reached by the descending idlers at the upper end of the pump. Immediately said plane is reached the continued descent of the pump causes the tension device to be moved inwardly again and the weight to be elevated. be seen that I have produced a device which automatically tensions the cable or powertransmitting device, no matter where the pump stands in the derrick.

A decided advantage of this machine is that it can be run down to rock-bottom of rivers, and the rich sand and gravel worked, and when desiring to move to work a different part of the bed the pump can be lifted quickly and easily by reversing the engine to clear the channel-tube of loose sand, and to withdraw and raise it clear of the bed by the reverse action of the spiral cutting-wheel or knife, and then using the ordinary nigger-head hoist (not sh own) to elevate the pump to the proper position. The pins 19 are then inserted in the registering apertures of the guide-sleeves 19 and the timber 6, and the boat moved as required. The derrick and the pump are, pivoted preferably in the center of the craft, so that when not in use they can be moved to the horizontal positionindicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, to permit the craftto pass under bridges and low places when passing from place to place and the pump is pivoted independently of the derrick, also, so that it can be more easily handled in case repairs are necessary, as hereinbefore stated. The derrick and the pump can be braced in their horizontal positions in any suitable or preferred manner, so that its heavy end, which is that end which projects over the bifurcated portion of the derrick, may not overbalance the lighter end and swing down to its vertical position by accident. A still f urtlier object of this invention is that in case the water-supply is scant and the craft is moved on skids, as is often neces sary in western streams and rivers which are flooded in winter and contain very little water in the summer, the water can be used over and over again with a very small addition of fresh water, as the sand and gravel can be:

separated from the .water after it has passed over the amalgams and permitted to return again into the discharge-tube 20 by way of the small tubes 34, or in any other suitable manner.

While I have shown the device as mounted upon a portable craft or boat, it is to be understood, of course,that it may be mounted upon any suitable stationary platform as well, if required. It is to be understood, also, that this structure maybe of any suitable material or combinations of materials desired, and that changes in the form, arrangement and detail construction of parts and the substitution for the devices shown of equivalents maybe made without departing from the essential spirit or It will thus,

sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a pump, consisting of an outer tube, and an inner tube which continues upward above the outer tube and is provided at a suitable point with a discharge nozzle, a pointed or V-shaped spider secured to the lower end of said tubes,

and a shaft extending axially through the inner tube, a spiral cutting-wheel or knife mounted upon said shaft near its lower end, and means to operate said shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a pump, consisting of an outer tube, and an inner tube which continues upward above the outer tube and is provided at a suitable point with a discharge nozzle, a pointed or V-shaped spider secured to the lower end of said tubes, a shaft extending axially through the inner tube, a spiral cutting-wheel or knife mounted upon said shaft near its lower end, radial lifting-devices also carried by said shaft, and means to operate said shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. A placermining apparatus, comprising a suitable platform or support located above a stream of water, a guide-derrick carried thereby, a pump provided with sliding guides which engage said guide-derrick; said pump consisting of a channel-tube, a second tube inclosing the lower portion of the channeltube, a pointed or V-shaped spider detachably carried at the lower ends of the said tubes, and a shaft suitably journaled axially of said channel-tube, and provided with a spiral cutting-wheel or knife, which according to its direction of rotation when operatively engaged in the sand, causes the pump proper to slide up or down upon said guide-derrick, substantially as set forth.

4. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a suitable platform or support located above a stream of water, a guide-derrick carried thereby, a pump provided with sliding guides which engage said guidederrick; said pump consisting of a channel-tube, a second tube inclosing the lower portion of the channeltube, a pointed or V-shaped spider detachably carried at the lower ends of the said tubes, a shaft suitably journaled axially of said channel-tube, and provided with a spiral cutting-wheel or knife, which according to its direction of rotation when operatively engaged in the sand, causes the pump proper to slide up or down upon said guidederrick, a pulley mounted upon the upper end of said shaft, a flexible connection between said pulley and a suitable motive power such as an engine, and a sliding tension-device engaging said flexible connection so as to always maintain it at the required tension, substantially as set forth.

A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a suitable platform or support located above a stream of water, a guide-derrick carried thereby, a pump provided with sliding guides which engage said guide-derrick; said pump consisting of a channeltube, a second tube inclosing the lower portion of the channeltube, a pointed orV-shaped spider detachably carried at the lower ends of the said tubes, a shaft suitably journaled axially of said channel-tube, and provided with a spiral cutting-wheel or knife, which according to its direction of rotation when operatively engaged in the sand causes the pump proper to slide up or down upon said guide-derrick, a pulley mounted upon the upper end of said shaft, a flexible connection between said pulley and a suitable motive power, such as an engine, guide-pulleys carried by the pump above and below the belt-pulley, and a sliding tension-device engaging said flexible connection so as to always maintain it at the required tension, substantially as set forth.

A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a derrick mounted upon a suitable platform, and braced or stayed in its vertical position in any suitable manner, a pump comprising a channel-tube provided with a dischargenozzle a suitable distance from its upper end, a second tube concentrically surrounding the lower portion of the channel-tube, a pointed or V-shaped spider detachably carried at the lower ends of said tubes, a bearing-cap closing the upper end of the channel-tube, a shaft journaled at its upper and lower ends in said bearing-cap and the bar carried by the spider, and provided with a spiral cutting-wheel or knife, a sliding guide carried by the upper portion of the channel-tube and embracing the vertical side-timbers of the derrick, a slidin g guide embracing said channel-tube a suitable distance below the first-mentioned guide, and consisting of a pair of sleeves which our brace slidingly the vertical side-timbers of the derrick, and a middle portion carried by the channeLtubc and pivotally engaging the said guide-sleeves, substantially as set forth.

7. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a channel-tube formed in two sections, and a washer or nut connecting said sections in longitudinal alignment with each other, and provided with a cross-bar having a central bearing-aperture, a detachable nipple carried at the lower end of said channel-tube, an outer tube externally embracing and secured to said nut and surrounding concentrically the lower portion of said channel-tube, apointed or V- shaped spider detachably carried at the lower end of said tubes and provided with vertical apertures, a series of tubes extending vertically in the conduit or space between the outer and inner tubes and projecting at their upper ends through the said collar or nut; certain of said tubes also engaging at their lower ends with vertical passages of the spider, a bearingcap at the upper end of the upper section of the channel-tube, a shaft extending vertically through said channel-tube and journaled in said bearing-cap, the cross bar of said collar or nut, and in a bar carried by the spider, a spiral cuttin g-wheel or knife carried by said shaft, and a series of arms carried by said shaft and inclined from their inner to their outer ends and also downwardly and forwardly, substantially as set forth.

8. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a channel-tube formed in two sections, and a washer or nut connecting said sections in longitudinal alignment with each other, and provided with a cross-bar having a central bearing aperture, a detachable nipple carried at the lower end of said channel-tube, an outer tube externally embracing and secured to said nut and surrounding concentrically the lower portion of said channel-tube, and provided with a series of openings, valves controlling said openings, a pointed or V-shaped spider detachably carried at the lower end of said tubes and provided with vertical apertures and with a crossbar, a series of tubes extending vertically in the conduit or space between the outer and inner tubes and projecting at their upper ends through the said collar or nut; certain of said tubes also communicating at their lower ends with the vertical apertures of the spider, a bearing-cap at the upper end of the upper section of the channel-tube, a shaft extending vertically through said channel-tube and journaled in said bearing-cap, the cross-bar of said collar or nut, and in the bar carried by the spider, a spiral cutting-wheel or knife carried by said shaft, and a series of arms carried by said shaft and inclined from their inner to their outer ends and also downwardly and forwardly, substantially as set forth.

9. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a channel-tube formed in two sections, and a washer or nut connecting said sections in longitudinal alignment with each other, and provided with a cross-bar having a central bearin g-aperturc, a detachable nipple carried at the lower end of said channel-tube, an outer tube externally embracing and secured to said nut and surrounding concentrically the lower portion of said channel-tube, and provided with a series of openings, valves controlling said openings, a spider detachably carried at the lower end of said tubes, a cross-bar carried by said spider, a bearing-cap mounted upon the upper end of said channeltube, a shaft extending vertically through said channel-tube and journ aled in said bearing-cap, said cross-bar of the collar or nut and the crossbar of the spider, a spiral cutting-Wheel or knife mounted upon said shaft contiguous to its lower end, and a series of elevating-devices also carried by said shaft, comprising arms which inc-line laterally and also downwardly from the shaft outward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising a channel tube havingits lower end open, and provided with a discharge nozzle, a rotating ICC shaft extending axially thereof and previded i with a rotaryeutting and elevating device at itsiewer'end, a 'iube, surrounding said chzm- V neitube below its discharge-nozzle, provided with series of valve-controlled openings,

enci e pointedspider-frame"see-ureato the lower ends of said tubes, substantially as set 11. A placer-mining apparatus, comprising ederriek suitably mounted, a pump longi tudinelly adjustable therein comprising etubular casinge pointed spiaier frame carried thereby, a shaft extendingexially of the: eas wing andprevided with arotery cutting and elevating devise, and devices to discharge 1 luhrieating meterial at the lower end of *the casing, substantially asset forth.

12 Apleeenmining apparatus, comprising, 7 a derriek suitably mounted; e pump longL 'tudinaily edjustable thevein, comprising 2 keep. the connection at :the substantially as set forth. s I e In testimony whereof I affix my signature "tubular easing-having anopen lower end and 1a discharge-nozzle, a shaft extemiing; iShGI'G*' through and provided at'its iewer end with a rotary cutting and elevating device, a pulley up0n-theupper endsof said shaft, guidepuk ieys supported fromthe shaft; a flexible 0011-,

neetien bBil-WGQII said-,first mentiened pull the other a'ecordin'gvte theposition offohe pump; and a sliding device teautomatiealiy in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses and a suitable motive power, and extending between said guieepulleys to engage one or 7 preper tensien, I

ROBERT C. Remit.