IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATORS FOR TREATING METALLIC ORES AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATORS FOR TREATING METALLIC ORES AND FOR
SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by George Snowden
Redfield and Francis A. Bowen, both of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America.
Sealed the 15th August 1870, and dated the 22nd February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents;
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATORS FOR TREATING
METALLIC ORES AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication.
The said Invention relates to a machine for separating the constituent parts of
metallic ores and other substances of different specific gravities by the action of
water.
According to the said Invention I construct a machine with a hopper formed with
à spout, the said hopper being supplied with the metallic ore or other substance to be
treated. This hopper is preferably of a taper form, and is arranged at the upper
end of a curved tube which communicates with the hopper, through a perforated
plate or disc. The object of this construction is that the water may be admitted
through a tube underneath the perforated screen; the said tube is provided with a
suitable valve or cock for regulating the passage of the water through the said tube.
The said pipe has an elbow, or is curved upward to an enlarged portion, whereon the
hopper is supported and secured.
The apparatus constructed with the parts above described has its hopper supplied
with the ore or other substance to be treated, and water is supplied from any
suitable reservoir to the aforesaid tube. The valve in the said tube being opened,
the water rises through the perforated partition plate and the substance in the
hopper, and escapes from the overflow spout of the latter.
The form and arrangement of the various parts of this improved apparatus may
be modified or changed according to the nature of the materials to be treated or
operated upon, but in all cases they must be such that the ore or other substance
Pains GJ1

page_text: to be treated therein is confined within a suitable receptacle with a perforated
bottom through which the water has access to the said substance; and the said
receptacle must be provided with an overflow for the liquid and for the lighter por-
tions of the substances separated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by a
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
August 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATORS FOR TREATING
METALLIC ORES AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by
George Snowden Redfield and Francis A. Bowen, both of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America.
The said Invention relates to a machine or apparatus for separating the con-
stituent parts of metallic ores and other substances of different specific gravities by
the action of water thereon, caused by the peculiar construction of the parts of
the said machine or apparatus, as herein-after described.
According to the said Invention I construct a machine or apparatus as shewn in
the accompanying Drawing, which is a longitudinal vertical section of the said
apparatus, and which I will now proceed to describe. The said machine has a
hopper a formed with a spout, the said hopper being supplied with the metallic ore
or other substance to be treated. This hopper is preferably of a taper form, and is
arranged at the upper end of a curved tube b which communicates with the hopper
through a perforated plate or disc c. The object of this construction is that the
water may be admitted through a tube underneath the perforated screen, and may
rise through the latter in such a manner as to raise and agitate the substances
placed in the hopper, and the water thus admitted to the said hopper will by reason
of the peculiar form of the latter, cause the greatest agitation of the mass at the
lower part of the same. The said tube is provided with a suitable valve or cock
for regulating the passage of the water through the said tube. The said pipe has
an elbow, or is curved upward to its upper portion, whereon the hopper is
supported and secured, as shewn in the Drawing.
The machine or apparatus constructed with the parts above described has its
hopper fed with the orc or other substance to be treated, and water is supplied from
any suitable reservoir to the aforesaid tube b. The valve in the said tube being
opened the water rises through the perforated partition plate and the substance in
the hopper, and escapes from the overflow spout of the latter. The peculiar form of
the said hopper a and the arrangement of the valve in connection with the pipe b
afford the means whereby the speed of the water is so regulated that, as it passes
through the said pipe up into and through the hopper, it agitates the mass of
material theroin, so that the separation of the light from the heavy portions of the
mass is effected by the lighter portions of the mass passing away at the overflow,
the heavy portions remaining in the hopper. When the separation is completed, the
valve is closed, and the contents of the hopper are discharged from the same.
The form and arrangement of the various parts of this improved apparatus may
be modified or changed according to the nature of the materials to be treated or
operated upon; but in all cases they must be such that the ore or other substance to
be treated therein is confined within a suitable receptacle with a perforated bottom
through which the water has access to the said substance, and the said receptacle
must be provided with an overflow for the liquid and for the lighter portions of
the substances separated.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same, I wish
it understood that I claim, a machine or apparatus in which the separation of

page_text: substances, or of the constituent parts of any substance of different specific gravities,
is effected by the action of the water thereon produced by the peculiar construction
of the said machine or apparatus, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
173 DADT
W. ROB LAKE. (LS)