USRE3320E - Improved apparatus for concentrating metallic ores - Google Patents

Description

'UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ZENAs WHEELER, or sau EEANoisoo, o ALrroENL/i. i

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATlNG METALLIC ORES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,130, dated September G, i864; Reissue No. 3,320. dated March 2, 186th To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZENAs WHEELEm ot the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Concentratori'or Gonccntrating Metallic Ores; and I do hereby declare that the withiny is afull and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying'dra-wings, making a part of this s'peciiication.

My invention consists in providing a machine for concentrating metallic ores, but more especially arseniureted and sul phureted ores, that are now washed away and wasted in the process of amalgamation for want of proper machinery adapted to the purpose of separating the sand or dbris without carrying with it the sulphurets. which are usually the richer portions of the ore` It is a well-known fact that thousands of tous of sulphurets, or tailings, from quartzmills, rich in gold and silver, are heaped up in the country awaiting the advent ot' some invention whereby the sand and-dbris can be washed away and the richer portions concentrated and shipped toA points where it can be treated by processes known for extracting metal from this class ot' ore. It is intended that by a proper use of my invention this long-sought desideratum will be accomplish ed.

To enable others skilled in the art to i1-lake and usemy invention, I will proceed to de.` scribe it. l

The invention consists in the elnployment or use of a circular or other shaped pan, of any convenient Asize-say, about four feet in diameter-and constructed of wood, iron', or other material, and having a journal under it for holding it in position, and on which it vibrat-es. This journal is hollow, for the purpose of forming a discharge-pipe, B, or outlet for water and waste matter.

The pan is'about six inches deep at the ontside, the bottom being two or three inches higher toward the center than it is at the pe riphery, with corrugations B, radiating from the center toward the circumference. These corrugations or elevations and depressions in the surface of the pan-bottom cause an undulating or wave-like motion in the material that is being worked that greatly facilitates the settling ofthe heavy particles to the bottom.

At `the edge ot' the pan-bottom are two or more grooves, l( L K L', commencing at certain points and runnin g each way. and gradually depressing as they approach the out-let D. These grooves are for the purpose of collecting the heavy metals or heavier portions of the material and conveying them to the lowest point in the pau.

At the lowest part of these grooves is an outlet i'or discharging the concentrated matter or dbris as fast it accumulates in the pan. This discharge is regulated by a gate or slide, E, which can be adjusted to any required height to'allow the proper amount ot' concentrated matter to pass out from under the waste matter in the pan. v

- There is also a bowl or dish, F, connected with the lowest partflhe grooves, for collecting any mercury or amalgam that may be contained in the material which is being worked.

Frein the bottom ot' this bowl is a discharge pipe, I1" to pass oi' the surplus mercury from under the pulp -in the pan as fast as it accumulates. This discharge-pipe is a little inclined downward from the bowl, and has a cock' or plug at the end for the purpose of drawing oli' the entire contents of the bowl and pipe.

Near the end of this pipe F isa brauch pipe, rising upward to near the level ot the top of the bowl and bending over to oneside, and is always open for the discharge of the accumulating mercury vwhile the machine -is pert'ormin g its-work.

On the under side of the pun-bottom are projections G G, which -comein contact with stops which are bolted to the pan-frame M, for the vpurpose of arresting'thc motion of the pan at the end of each vibration and giving it a sudden Ijar, which assists materially in concentrating the ores.

There are also projections l I on the edge ot' the pan, for the purpose of giving it the vibratory motion by means oi' the cam H, which revolves between them. The form of this cam is an iuvolute, whose evolute is a circle, and is of a proper length to give the pan amotion ot' about ten degrees oi' vibration. This form of a cam gives the pan an equal velocity in every partof its vibrations, causing it to start and stop so sudden as to prevent 4the sand from packing on the bottom ofthe pan:

Attached to the sides of the pan, and near the top, is aconvex disk or screen-plate, made of iron, copper, or other material, the upper tuirface of which is amalgamated, for the purpose of collecting any amalgam or mercury which may be cdntained in the ore.

At the center of t-his scrcenfplate is a ci-rou lar bowl or disk for the purpose of equalizin g the How of `matter over the surface of the plate A.- This plate is perforated with small holes near the lower partor outside edge, to let the water and ore pass down through into the concentrating-pau below it, and also serving as a screen or strainer, to prevent any large substance from getting into the pan which might obstruct the discharge pipe or opening.

The frame on which the pan stands can be made of square timber twelve or fourteen inches in diameter, of the` proper length to accommodate the pan and cam-shaft. This timber rests on two transverse pieces about eight inches square, one placed near each end, to which it is fastened. There are two bearings fastened to the timber for holding the cam-shaft in place. There are also two stops bolted to the side of this timber, for the projections Gr G to strike against, and to arrest the motion of the pan at each vibration just at the time the cam leaves it.

The pan and its contents are suspended by rods or chains, which are supported by some bearing, I', over the center of the pan, and which holds it in a horizontal position. By this means the; runs with but very little friction on the journal. y

Each letter of reference denotes the correspondin g partsin each figure.

A is a sectional view of the amalgamated circular screenpla-te or disk, in the center of which is the bowl for regulating the flow of the matter to all parts of the circumference of the pan. The edge or lowest part of this plate is perforated with small holes.

B represents the corrugate'd surface of the pan 5 B', the inclined grooves at the side of the pan B", the outlet through the journal of the pan.

Gis the bowl vin the center of the screenplate, with a piece of hard met-al to prevent its wearing out.

D D is an opening for the discharge of the heavier inatteras concentrated. This opening may be of any desired size or shape in or through the side or bottom. of the pan, and may be employed for discharging the material directly from the machine, or into any compartment or fixtures of the machine.

.E E is the slide, gate, or stopper to regulate the discharge of the concentrated matter from the pan.

F' is the discharge-pipe for themercury.

G G are lugs or steps on the bottom of the pan.

His the cam and the shafts for vibrating the pan.

K L and K' L"l are inclined -grooves for tion and admit a stream of water and material to be treated into the bowl in the screen-plate, and it will iiow evenly over the surface of the amalgamated disk down through the small holes into the pan below, when the heavier particles will settle and be collected by the grooves K L K L' and pass out at the opening D, while the surplus water and dbris pass up the in clinecorrugated bottom and are discharged .throug'lithe journal of the pan B" E E, the slide-gates, must be adjusted so as to let any desired amount of concentrated matter pass out. This is done by raising or lowering them.

The speed of the vibrations of the pan must be quick enough to prevent the material to be worked from packing.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, a vibrating disk or pan; but

I d'o claim- 1. rlhe arrangement and combination ofthe corrugated surface B with a vibratory or oscillating pan or eoncentrator.

2. The inclined grooves K L and K L', or their equivalent, in combination with a vibra- `tory or oscillatory pan or concen trator.

3. The opening D, in combination with a vibratory or oscillating pan or concentrator.

et. The bowl F and tube F', or either of them, in combination with a vibratory or oscillating pan or concentrator, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

Ofrrs V. SAWYER., JAS. OOGAN.

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