US849379A - Ore-classifier. - Google Patents

Description

No 849,379. PATENTED APR. 9, 1907.

- J. VAN N. DORR.

ORE GLASSIPIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1906.

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? a) mjwmgb No 849,379. PATENTED APR. 9, 1907.

J. VAN N. DORR. ORE GLASSIFIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18.1906. I

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VII/IIIIIJIIMI/Il/ T stance, the hydraulic cones UNrrnn s'rn'rne JOHN VAN N OSTRAND DORR, OF LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

ORE-CLASSIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

K Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed May 18 1906. Serial No. 317,583

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JonN VAN NOSTRAND -DORR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Lead, in the county of Lawrence and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful I'm rovements in Ore-Classifiers, of which the fo lowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for separating and classifying materials which have different settling rates in liquid, whether such difference is caused by a variation in the specific gravity of the particles, as in the concentration of ores, or in the size of the particles when homogeneous, as in the separation of sands and shmes.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which, while simple in construction and easily operated, will thoroughly separate the sands or rapidly-settling particles 1n wet crushed pulp from the slimes or slowly-settling particles therein and will separately deliver the slimes and the clean leachable sands.

My improved apparatus is especially designed for classifying the sands and slimes in wet crushed pulp for cyaniding, and for convenience I will assume in the followin description that the pulp is being treated for that purpose.

Ore pulp, as is well understood, contains sands with which metallic values are mixed and which is readily leachable and also slimes which contain values which cannot be economically leached and which if mixed with the sands revents or impedes the leach.- ing thereof. uch slimes may be treated to recover their values; but it is very desirable that the process for recovering the values from slimes shall be sc arate and distinct from the treatment of t e sands to recover the values therefrom.

Various forms of apparatus have been devised for classifying sands and slimes; but they have not proved satisfactory in all particulars or under all conditions. For inheretofore most generally used for the urpose were open to the objection that w ere the pulp contained much earthy material, producing a large amount of slimes, it was necessary to employ a strong upward current of liquid in the cones, resulting in the carrying over with the slimes of a great Cportion of the fine sands which would be rea ily leaehable if allowed to remain with the coarser sands, or it was necessary to use several cones in series, making a large amount of fall or requiring increased rnill height.

According to my invention the wet pulp from a suitable crusher or pulveriper is continuously conveyed to a settling-trough, where the sands settle to the bottom by gravity, while the slimes remain in suspension in the liquid. The slimes flow over into a launder, which conveys them away to a suitable receptacle removed from the classifier, while the sands are moved upwardly along the inclined bottom of the trough and delivered to another launder, which conveys them to the leachers or other suitable receptacles. For the pur ose of moving the sands out of the trough em loy rakes or scrapers, whi'ch are reciprocate back and forth above the bottom of the trough in such manner as to move the sands toward the u per end of the trough on the outstroke, ut which are elevated above the lane of the sand on their instroke. This re 'n operation is effective not only in moving t 1e sand as fast as it falls toward the sand-receiving launder, but it also serves to loosen or agitate the sand b first forming it into small piles and then a lowing it to settle, while at the same time progressively moving it upward and outward along the inclined bottom of the trough. The rakes, while effectively removing the sands ,do not so agitate theliquid in the u per stratum of the bath as to interfere with the settling of the sands. The operation results in keeplng the slimes in suspension and allowing the sands to settle out, and as the sands are spread out in a thin layer the liquid has a better chance to act upon them.

While the greater portion of the slimes are separated from. the sands in this way, there are still some present in the settled sands which must be removed. To accomplish this, I provide means for washing the settled sands after they emerge from the settling-.

bath and just before their delivery to the launder which conveys them away. For this purpose perforated pipes are located near the sand-delivery end of the trough, through which clear liquid is forced upwardly through the sand as it passes over them, resulting in the elimination of the remaining slimes, which are carried back with the incoming li uid to the settling-bath, very little of such 0 car liquid being allowed to pass. out with the sands.

. I preferably divide the settling-trough into roe rofz c two parts, using two, sets of rakes operating alternately in opposite directions, whereby the weight of the moving parts is counterbalanced, and the overflow of the liquid into the slime-receiving trough is made more uniform and even.

In the accompanying drawings have illustrated the way new best known to me the. sands settle rake.

7 feed-launder. Fig. 5 is a plan view classifier. Fig. 6 shows a transverse section 2 is a longitudinal classifier,

up into piles during the outstroke of the rake. Fig. 3 is on the line'6 6 of Fig. 1. a I The wet pulp is conveyed by a feed-launder A to a settlingtrough B, which is inclined as shown, the -liquid-level in the trough being i indicated by the dotted line as.

Suitable supports-B are employed to hold the trough at the desired inclination. The feed-launder V is preferably of the form illustrated in Fig. 4

and extends entirely across the trough, being formed withslots a, through which the wet pulp passes on to a distributing-plate a. Preferably the launder is located about midwaybetween the upper and lower ends of the A launder C for carrying away the and a launder D for carrying ofi the are located, respectively, at the lower trough. slimes sands,

'- and upper ends of the trough. Preferably'the n, which trough is'divided into two parts by a partition is high enough merely to prevent thesands from spreading from one part or division of the trough to the other. In each division of the trough is located a rake or scraper F;comprising longitudinal bars f and a series of transverse plates f, attached to the'ba'rsin any suitable way.- The rake-b ars -5o are supported b hangers G and H, which atitheir upper ends are attached to crossbars-g, provided with rollers g" at opposite ends,each roller being adapted to travel in a track i,-applied to a plate J, secured to a frame I, arranged-at a slight elevation abovethe top of the trough. Over the tracks tare arranged gravityswitches 'y', which-are pivoted at j'and which are so operated, as

be readily understood fro'm an inspection -'of 'Fig. 1, that when the rollers move upwardly, .or'to the'right as viewed in Fig; 1, they will travel along the jin'clined track 5 After.

' 'reachingthe end of the tracks therol lers p,

b e-regulated. As ward through the sands inthe manner inch--1 0 will lift the switches and then-allow them to drop, and on "the returamovement of the:

driving-shaft M.

inclined board C,

toward the overflow.

lower or inner end of the seasre rakes the rollers will travel on top of the switches until they reach the rear or lower ends thereof, when they will pass from the switches and again rest on the tracks 6. In this way as the rakes are moved back and forth they are made to rise and fall at the proper times, being lowered to a position close to thebottom of the trough on the outward or upward stroke and being elevated some distance above the inclined bottom on the instroke, as illustrated in Fig. 3, but are not entirely withdrawn from the bath.

It will be observed that by the construction shown there is no chance for wear on the bearings of the rakes. The supports and parts which move in contact with each other are entirely above the liquid-level. If they were below the liquid-level, they would be exposed to the action of grit and sand, which would soon wear them out.

The rakes in the two compartments or divisions of the trough are similar in all respects, and to each one is joined a connectingrod K, the outerend of each of which is attached to a crank L on a shaft L, geared to a it will be observed that the cranks radiate in diametrically opposite directions, so that as the rake in one division of the trough-moves upward and outward the rake in the other division of the trough moves inward and downward. This arrangement serves to counterbalance the weight of the moving parts, and it also serves to make the overflow into the launder C more steady and uniform.

' Near the launder C, 1 preferably locate an which serves todirect the slimes into the launder, and I also preferably employ a bafile-board G which may be adjusted vertically to regulate the flow of liquid The position of the lower edge of the baflie-board determines the cross-section of the stream of slimes passing under it, and therefore its velocity and carrying power for fine material. Any suitable means for adjusting the board 0 may be employed. The devices shown need not be described as the construction and operation may be cleaned are obvious. The trough at the out'when necessary through the pipe C trough.

For the purpose of cleaning the settled sands after their emergencefrom the liquid and just before their These pipes are preferably located in recesses in the bottom of the settling-trough, as indicated in Fig. 1, and they are provided with -.numerous perforationa'so as to deliver clear liquid, such as clear cyanid solution under pressure, to the saiids them. The pipes are rovided' with valves which the flow '0 th'e'clear liquid may the liquid is forced updelivery to the launder D, I provide a series of perforated pipes.P.

asthe latter pass over cated in Figs. 2 and 3 the latter will be elevated slightly and agitated, while the contained slimes are separated and flow back into the bath in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. The same effect could not be produced by spraying liquid onto the top of the sands after emergence from the bath because such action would not so efficiently act on all the particles of sand and would tend to wash the sands back into the trough.

It will be observed that the settled sand is in motion only half the time, but is exposed to the action of the upward flow of clear liquid from the pipes P both while in motion and also while at rest, thus giving the liquid ample opportunity to keep the settled sand loose'and open and to allow the escape of the slimes. This action of the upward current through the settled sand is quite different from the action of the upward current in the hydraulic cones and much more eflicient, as the amount of clear liquid required is much less, and there is no chance of currents moving in both directions, which would carry down slimes with the sands. The inward movement of the rakes causes an agitation of the particles in suspension in the lower stratum of the bath, and thus tends to free the settling particles of sand from the adhering slime and keeps the latter in suspen- S1OI1.

Actual experience has demonstrated that perfectly clean leachable sands are obtained, while the slimes are entirel free from sands. Practically all of the liqui from the bath or from the cleaning-pipes can be prevented from assin into the sandereceiving launder, and t e sand dled'by mechanical conveyers, if desired.

My lmproved classifier ossesses many advantages over others. it is compact, requiring but little space and no elevators. It necessltates little attendance, no matter how much the ore may vary in its nature, and

both clean sand and clean slimes are made in one operation. The sand is delivered practically free from water and most of the clear liquid for cleaning the settled sand is saved, as before stated.

Although my apparatus was especially designed to give the greatest amount of clean leachable sand from wet crushed pulp for cyaniding, it may alsobe used to advantage to replace the spitzkasten for removing the coarser sand from the product of a stampmill for delivery to regrinding-mills, where an excess of water is objectionable. It may also be employed to deliver clean leachable sand in condition to be drained and conveyed moist to' leaching-vats, thus providing all the aeration needed and doing away with the expensive double treatment, and it may also be used for se arating fine sands from slimesin can be drained so as to be hanferred to the ra idly-settling particles as sands and to tlie slowly-settling particles as slimes; but itwill be understood that the apparatus may be emplo ed to classify materials not ordinarily thus esignated, and I wish it understood that both in the specification and in the claimed do not wish to confine my invention to apparatus for separating sands and slimes.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus for classifying crushed ores, comprising a stationary settling-trough to which the ul is delivered and in which the sand sctt es y gravity, means for conveying the settled sands to one end of the trough, means for forcing a clear li id up through the settledsands at the sand-delivery end of the trough to separate the slimes therefrom, and means-for conveying slimes away from the bath.

2. An apparatus for classifying crushed ores, comprising an inclined stationary settling-trou h to which the pulp is delivered,

and in WllOh the sand settles by gravity while the slimes remain in suspension, means for conveying the settled sands upwardly along the lnclined bottom of the trou h, and means for forcing a clear liquid up t rough the settled sands to separate slimes therefrom at the sand-delivery end of the trough and to cause. said slimes to pass back to t e settling-bath.

3. An apparatus for classifying crushed ores, comprising an inclined stationary settling-trough in which the sands settle and the slimes remain in suspension, a reciprocatin rake for moving. the settled sands upward y and outwardly in the trough, and means at the sand-delivery end of the trough for forcing clear liquid up through the sands after their emergence from the settling-bath, andhwhile being conveyed away from the bat 4. An apparatus for classifying crushed ores, comprising an inclined stationary setthug-trough in which the sands settle to the bottom while the slimes remain in suspension, a reciprocating rake engaging the settled sand on its outstroke. and moving it toward the upper end of the trough, means for lifting the rake out of engagement with the sand on the instroke, and means for washing the sand to remove the slime therefrom arranged at the sand-delivery end of the trough and acting upwardly through the settled sand.

5. An apparatus for classifying ore-pulp comprising a settling-trough, two rakes arranged side by side in the trough, a partition in the lower part of the trough, the upper edge of which is below the liquid-level, for dividing the sands under one rake from the sands under the other rake, mechanism for reciprocating the rakes alternately in opposite directions whereby the weight of the moving parts is counterbalanced and the overflow from the trough is' equalized, a launder for receiving slime at the lower end of the'trough, a launder for receiving sand at the opposite end thereof and a feed-launder for the pulp arranged. intermediate'the ends thereof.

6. An apparatus for separating and classifying materials of different settling rates, comprising a stationary settling-trough, a launder for receiving materials remaining in suspension in the trough, a launder for receiving the settled material, means for conveying the settled material toward its receiving-launder, and means for forcing a'clear' liquid up through the settled material asit emerges from the settling-bath and before its delivery to its receiving-trough.

7. An apparatus for separating and classifying materials of different settling rates, comprising a stationary trough containinga settling-bath, a launder at one end of the trough for receiving material remaining in suspension in the liquid, a launder at theopposite end of the trough for receiving the settled material, a reciprocating rake moving outward while engaging the settled material, means for elevating the rake above the settled material on the instroke without Withdrawing it entirely from the bath mechanism for operating the rake and means for forcing a clear liquid up through the settled material as it emerges from the settling-bath and before its delivery to its receivinglaunder.

8. An apparatus for classifying crushed ore comprising a stationary settling-trough to which the pulp is delivered and in which the sand settles by gravity while the slimes remain in suspension, means for conveying the sands from the trough without disturbing the settling action in the upper portion of the bath, and means for forcing clear liquid up through the settled sands after their emergence from the bath. o

9. An apparatus for separating and classifying material of different settling rates, comprising a stationary settling-trough, a launder for receiving material remain ing in suspension in the trough, a launder for receiving the settled material, means below the liquid-level of the bath for conveying the settled material toward its receiving-launder,

means above the liquid-level for supporting the conveyer, and means for operating the conveyer.

In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto sub scribed my name.

JOHN VAN NOSTRAND DORE.

Witnesses:

G110. B. THOMPSON, G. L. GIL'LIs.

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