US801200A

US801200A - Hydraulic classifier.

Info

Publication number: US801200A
Application number: US12896002A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard S Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1902-10-27
Filing date: 1902-10-27
Publication date: 1905-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1922-10-10

Description

. other suitable material.

HOVARD S. BAILEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

HYDRAULIC CLASSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed October 27, 1902. Serial No. 128,960.

.To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD S. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Olassiliers; and I do declare the following to be 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydraulic classifiers for classifying or grading ore-pulp; and the objects of my invention are, iirst, to provide a hydraulic classifier in which ore-pulp flowing thereto that is of a lumpy consistency is disintegrated; second, to provide a hydraulic classifier in which the orepulp is passed through a conical sieve arranged to cause the ore-pulp to fall in a circular shower; third, to provide an upward-flowing pyramidal-shaped jet of water that will charge and spread out a falling body of ore-pulp in ahydraulic classifier; fourth, to provide means for separating the lighter particles of ore-pulp from the heavier. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a central sectional side elevation of a group of my improved hydraulic classi-- fiers arranged in tandem order. Fig. 2 is a section elevation of the conical sieve I employ to cause the orepulp to fall in a shower. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the water-current-distributing ring.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates thebody of my hydraulic classifier; and it consists, preferably, of an inverted conical chamber, (although any other suitablyshaped water and ore-pulp holding vessel orl chamber may be employed,) which is prefer-- ably made of sheet-steel, galvanized iron, or At its bottom a large discharge-pipe? is connected, which leads to a storage-tank or directly to a concentrator. A controlling-valve 2A is inserted in the discharge-pipe to retain the ore-pulp concentrates as they are made or to regulate their copious outflow, as desired. At one side of its top portion a discharge-spout 3 is placed. A hopper fl is placed centrally in the top of the conical cylinder, into which ore-pulp is discharged from a spout or launder 5, which conducts the ore-pulp from a stamp-mill or from rolls, Huntington mills, or other ore crushing or pulverizing machinery.

The hopper is supported by brackets 6, Which extend from it to the inside. A hollow or cylindrical bottomless conical screen or sieve 7 is positioned centrally in the top of the conical cylinder with its apex extending into the bottom of the hopper. This conical sieve is preferably uted, and the bottom and sides of the flutes are perforated with slotapertures arranged in any suitable random order to intercept the particles of ore-pulp as they slide down the liutes of the sieve. This conical sieve is supported by brackets 8, which are secured to the inner sides of the cylinder.

Adjacent to the apex portion of the sieve and just below the hopper I place round the apex of the sieve a water-jet ring of pipe 9, which also acts as a general water-supply pipe and is provided with a large number of jet-apertures arranged closely together and positioned in the ring to discharge jets of water under pressure against the surfaces of the flutes of the conical sieve. The object of this circle of forcible jets is to disintegrate any lumps 0f ore-pulp that flow from the hopper into the conical sieve and into the classifier, and thus separate the ore-pulp particles one from another. A water-supply pipe 10 is connected to the ring, which extends to a supply of water under pressure, such as a tank. A valve 1l is placed-in the supply-pipe to regulate the supply of Water and the pressure of the jets. Then classifying some ores, these pulp-disintegrating jets may not be needed, and the water can be turned off or the use of the pipering dispensed with.

At a suitable distance below the conical sieve I place a combined water-distributing ring 12. rI his Water-distributing ring comprises two concentric rings of unequal diameter separated by a concentric space between them large enough to permit of the free passage of the larger particles of ore-pulp as they fall by gravity to the bottom of the cylinder of the classifier. The rings are, however, connected together by spokes 13. The outer ring is also of a diameter relative to the diameter of the cylinder of the classifier to leave a space between its outer periphery and the surrounding sides of the chamber to permit of the passage of falling particles of orepulp.

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While l show a water-distributing ring of two coils, my invention contemplates a ring of any number of coils.

l provide each coil of the water-distributing ring with a plurality of small holes 14, but arrange them at different angles as will give a jet that will scatter into a circular spray. I arrange the jets apertures in the center ring portion, so that they will discharge toward the vertical axis of the ring and all meet at a common point below the conical sieve and in substantial alinement with its vertical axis and of the axis of the chamber of the classifier, so that combined they form a pyramidal jet of water 15, that pierces the axial center of the circular shower of ore-pulp.

The apertures in the larger ring are arranged at such various angles as will give a field of spray-jets that will provide a continuous upward fine spray of water throughout the entire space between the pyramidal jet and the surrounding sides of the conical cylinder.

The jet-apertures can be drilled or formed in the shell of the rings; but in order to better direct the course of the jets I preferably secure tubes 16 in the apertures, as their angles of direction can be slightly adjusted after they are secured in the rings by bending them with a wrench or with pliers to stand in the required position, or the holes can be drilled so that the tubes screwed into them will stand at the required angle.

l provide the rings with a supply of water under a regulated pressure through a supplypipe 17, which enters the chamber of the classifier below the water-distributer through a boss 17, to which the supply-pipe is pref'- erably secured. An elbow 18 is secured on the inner end of the supply-pipe, and a nipple 19 is secured in the elbow to stand vertically in the central portion of the body of the classifier. A cap 19A is secured to the top of the nipple, and branch pipes 2O extend from the cap to several points in the under part of the rings in order that the supply and pressure of the water may be evenly distributed. At its outer end the supply-pipe 17 is provided with a pressure-regulating valve 21, from which a pipe 22 leads to a source of water-supply under a slight pressure, such as a tank located a few feet above the classifiers. A body of water Q3 is maintained in the classifier up to the discharge-spout by the inflowing jets of water and the Vwater from the orepulp.

The operation of my improved hydraulic classifier is as follows: The pulverized orepulp is fed into the hopper and falls onto the apex of the conical sieve and distributes itself round it and runs down its fiutes, and a very large portion falls through the apertures in the conical sieve from its apex to its lower edge. The-ore-pulp particles after passing through the sieve drop through the water,

and as they drop from the apertures at the apex to those at the circumference of its base a circular shower of ore-pulp particles is falling through the water continuously. This shower is niet by the pyramidal jet of water that spurts up from the center ring of the water-distributer which pierces or projects into the center of the falling shower of orepulp particles and diverts them toward the sides of the body of the classifier, where they encounter the upward spray of the circle of spray-jets from the larger ring of the waterdistributer. The lighter particles are then buoyed or carried up to the top of the body of water and discharge through the spout from the classifier andare led either into a second classifier, as shown, or in case only one classifier is used they should go to a concentrator. rlhe heavier ore-pulp particles fall through the water and between and round the distributing-ring to the bottom of the classifier,from which they are drawnofil from time to time, or the outfiow can be regulated by the valve 2^" in the discharge-pipe to fiow continuously.

Hydraulic classifiers are generally used in tandem sets of two or three or more, as shown. The ore-pulp overfiowing from the first is reclassified in the second, and finer concentrates are made and a finer grade of ore-pulp overflows from the second one into the third, then from the first into the second, and from the third into the fourth, &c. Three are most generally used and are sufficient for most ores. The product overflowing` from the third classifier from a finely-pulverized ore-pulp will be slimes and is treated by concentration or some other method for its values. The concentrates that collect in the bottom of' each classifier will with some ores be ore-'pulp concentrates and will need 'retreatment by concentration or by some other method; but on some ores these concentrates can be made mineral particles or mineral concentrates. The classifying' or grading of the particles depends upon the specific gravity of the mineral particles and the gangue in the ore-pulp and the proper regulation of the force or pressure of the upward-flowing spray-jets.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is`

1. Ahydraulic classifier,comprisingachamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, and means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, substantially as described.

2. A hydraulic classifier, comprising a chamber having suitable outlets, aconical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from IOO IIO

the walls ot' the chamber, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing a current of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

8. A hydraulic classilier,comprising a chainber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing a di'used spray of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

a. A hydraulic classifier,comprisingachamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing a plurality of currents of water upwardly toward a common point below said screen, substantially as described.

5. A hydraulic classilier,c0mprisingachamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced awaymfrom the walls of the chamber, means Jfor feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing separate concentric currents of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

6. A hydraulic classiier,comprising acharnber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding orepulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing separate concentric conical and annular currents of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

T. A hydraulic classiier,comprising a chamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, said screen having external, longitudinally-arranged ribs, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower and means for directing a current of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

8. Ahydraulicclassilier,comprisingachamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding orepulp downwardly upon and through said screen, and means for spraying water upon said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, substantially as described.

9. Ahydraulic classilencomprisingachamber having suitable outletsa conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding orepulp downwardly upon and through said I screen, and a perforated, annular, water-supply tube surrounding the upper end of said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, substantially as described.

.10. A hydraulic classifier, comprising a chamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the wallsoi' the chamber, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon and through said screen, a perforated, annular, water-supply tube surrounding the upper end of said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing a current of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

1l. A hydraulic classifier, comprising a chamber having suitable outlets, a conical screen vertically arranged in said chamber with its apex above and its sides spaced away from the walls of the chamber, means for feeding ore-pulp downwardly upon said screen, a perforated, annular, water-supply tube surrounding' the upper end of said screen, whereby the pulp is caused to fall through the chamber in a circular shower, and means for directing separate concentric currents of water upwardly against the shower of pulp, substantially as described.

l2. In a hydraulic classiiier, the combination of the chamber, the hopper, the conical screen arranged below the hopper and having a water-supply ring surrounding it between its apex end and said hopper, and the concentric water-distributing rings arranged below said conical screen and provided with jettubes', substantially as described.

13. In a hydraulic classiiier, the combination of the chamber, provided with a valved outlet and hopper, the conical sieve below said hopper, the water-supply ring surrounding said sieve at its apex portion, a waterdistributing group of circular pipes arranged below said conical screen and arranged to project a plurality of spray-jets in predetermined radial and .circumferential order from said rings upwardly throughout said chamber, a

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water-supply pipe extending' into said chamber, and distributing-pipes extending' from said supplypipe te predetermined points in said rings, substantially as described.

la. A hydraulic classilier. comprising a chamber provided with an overi'iow-spout, a valved discharge-outlet in the bottom portion of said chamber, a hopper in said chamber, a conical sieve in said chamber below the hopper, a water-supply ring surrounding said conical sieve at its apex, and a plurality otl water-distributing pipes arranged below said conical sieve, the center pipe beingI provided with a convergingcircular row of water-projecting spray-jets arranged to discharge collectively a conical jet ot water toward the axial center of said conical sieve. and the outer pipe being' provided with acircular row of radially-arranged jetapertures arranged to project a plurality oli spray-jets of water in a circular body upwardly between said pyramidal jet and the chamber, substantially as described.

15. ln a hydraulic classifier, a. water and ore-pulp holding chamber provided with a valved discharge-pipe and an outletehopper centrally positioned in said chamber, a hollow screen positioned centrally in said chamber having its apex in Vreed-receiving relation to the discharge of said feed-hopper, a compound water-distributing ring or pipe comprising' a plurality or' rings or coils arranged below said screen and centrally in said chamber, a watersupply pipe operatively connected to said rings or pipes and a plurality of spray-jet apertures arranged in predetermined order to direct a circular row ot jets from thc center coil or ring ot water axially up toward the axial center ot' the bottom ot' said sieve in such a manner as to lorm a pyramidal jet of water and also to direct a circular row of spray-jets from the outer ring or coil in suitable predetermined upward radial directions, substantially as described.

16. Yin a hydraulic separat-or, the combination oil a suitable chamber provided with a suitably-valved discharge-aperture at its bottom portion and a suitable overflow at its top portion, with a hopper secured in the central portion ot' said chamber, a hollow conical tinted screen positioned in said chamber below said hopper with its apex arranged to receive the ore-pulp from said feed-hopper in a stream on the point of its apex, a water-supply pipe surrounding the apex of said conical screen and connected to a supply of water under pressure, and a plurality ot' wate1=distribut ing spray-jet rings positioned below said conical screen having the center ring provided with a circular row of j et-apertures position ed to project toward the axial center of said con ical screen their combined jets into a pyramidal jet ot water, and having the surrounding water-distributing ring arranged to project a plurality of jets in such radial and circula-r order that the combined jets will form a rising cloud of spray-water that shall have a buoying or lifting ettect and iiow on the body of water and the finer particles ot' orepulp in the water ot' said chamber, and a valved water-supply pipe connected to the plurality of water-distributing rings and connected to a suitable water-supply under pressure, substantially as described.

17. In a hydraulic classifier', the combination of a suitable chamber provided with a suitable valved discharge-outlet and an overflow-spout, with the hopper, the spray-jet water-supply ring, the conical screen having its apex project through said ring and the water-distributing rings in said chamber below said conical screen provided with tubular discharge apertures arranged in predetermined order and at various predetermined inclinations, and the water supply and distributing pipes connected to said water-distributing rings, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOWYAR'D S. BAILEY. Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT. Bnssm THOMPSON.