IMPROVEMENTS IN JIGGING MACHINERY FOR DRESSING ORES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mathews, of Tavistock, in the County
of Devon, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JIGGING
MACHINERY FOR DRESSING ORES."-A communication from abroad. by
Henry Richard Hancock, residing at the Moonta Copper Mines,
near Adelaide, South Australia.
Scaled the 17th September 1872, and dated the 6th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mathews at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th July 1872.
I, JOSEPH MATHEWS, of Tavistock, in the County of Devon, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
JIGGING MACHINERY FOR DRESSING ORES," to be as follows:-
Heretofore self-acting jigging machines (that is to say, machines fed
and discharged without manual labour) have been constructed of a sieve
made to rise and fall in a cistern or trough of water, the stuff being led

page_text: on to one end of the sieve and caused to travel along it by a stream
of water running through the cistern or trough until the waste is dis-
charged at the opposite end to that on to which the stuff was fed..
According to this Invention, in addition to giving a rising and falling
motion to the sieves of jigging machinery, a horizontal to-and-fro move-
ment is simultaneously imparted to them, the gear for raising and
depressing the sieves being independent of that which causes the hori-
zontal movement; by this means the waste might even be carried
forward from one end of the sieves to the other in still water or against
a stream of water if desired.
The machinery consists of a V shaped trough or hutch, say, about
24 feet long and 4 feet wide. The trough or hutch is divided by
transverse partitions into 7 or other suitable number of compartments
for the reception of the dressed ore, with the addition of a larger com-
partment at the end of the machine for the tailings. Fitted into the
top of the hutch are two sieves each 10 feet long by 3 feet 3 inches wide,
the two in operation acting as one sieve. The wirework of the sieves is
variously sized, that nearest the head of the hutch being gauged to
six holes to the inch, the next size 5 holes, and the remainder of various
sizes arranged according to the nature of the stuff operated upon, and
varying from 4 to 8 holes to the inch; the coarsest wirework is placed
nearest to the place of discharge to prevent the rough dredgy portions
from passing over the end of the sieve along with the tailings. The
hutch is placed upon pillars about 3 feet in height, and at the bottom
of each compartment is a valve through which upon its being opened
at the required intervals the ore or tailings as the case may be rushes
out with a stream of water into a waggon or wheelbarrow. underneath.
The barrows and waggons having their sides and ends formed of wire-
work or perforated metal, the water quickly drains off and their
contents are then conveyed to the floors. It will be seen that the
arrangement of the hutch greatly facilitates the division of the ore as
well as its delivery from the machine. The sieves in their compound
pulsating movements are raised about 5ths of an inch, their longi-
tudinal movement being about a quarter of an inch, and in this manner
they make 150 pulsations per minute. The motion given to the sieves
causes the stuff to travel at each pulsation about a quarter of an inch
towards the tail of the machine and at the same time forces the orc

page_text: through the wirework into the hutches below. The ore is thus con-
stantly moved forward and downward constituting a feature which is.
novel in the process of jigging, the waste at the same time is tossed
towards its destination and is effectually prevented from passing through
the wirework with the clean ore, a defect which to a greater or less
extent is inseparable from every other kind of jigger yet invented. To
give the rising and falling and horizontal to-and-fro movement to the
sieves the transverse horizontal bars which carry the sieves are by
preference fixed at each end to upright rods, and these at their lower
ends are connected to a series of levers linked to one another, and caused
to rock simultaneously upon their axes by a revolving cam wheel acting
upon or 'other of the levers. To give the horizontal to-and-fro motion
to the sieve a rod or link is jointed to one of the sieve bars and also
to the hutch, provision being made for setting this rod or link at any
desired angle so that the amount of horizontal movement given to the
sieve can be varied. The extent of upward and downward movement
given to the sieve can also be controlled by a movable stop to limit the
descent of the lever arms which support it after they have been raised
by the cam wheel before mentioned.
.Other arrangements of mechanism for giving an alternating upward
and downward motion, and simultaneously a forward and backward
motion to the sieves may be adopted.
The following are some of the features peculiar to the new machine,
viz.:―
1st. With jigging machinery constructed as above described the flow
of water required is not so large as heretofore, and the stuff operated on
is more directly submitted to the jigging action, hence the dressing is
much more effectual, the ore being cleaner from waste.
2nd. The waste is discharged more free from ore, consequently there
is less loss of ore in the tailings.
3rd. As black ore is exceedingly light it is when brought into contact
with a running stream of water carried off with it; it has therefore been
found impracticable to jig stuff containing this kind of ore with any
self-acting jigging machines hitherto constructed, but as in this machine
the waste can be discharged independent of any flowing stream of water
certain stuff containing black ore can be effectually treated.

page_text: 4th. Another advantage is that a large proportion of the slime ore
passes down through the sieve into the hutch, instead of being carried
off with the waste at the tail of the machine.
4th. Another advantage is that a large proportion of the slime ore
passes down through the sieve into the hutch, instead of being carried
off with the waste at the tail of the machinc.
5th. The speed at which stuff can be dressed is greatly superior to
what could be previously attained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Mathews in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MATHEWS, of Tavistock, in the County of Devon, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Mathews, Her special license
that I, the said Joseph Mathews, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Mathews, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, excercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
JIGGING MACHINERY FOR DRESSING ORES," a communication to me from abroad
by Henry Richard Hancock, a person resident at the Moonta Copper
Mines, near Adelaide, South Australia, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Joseph Mathews, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Mathews, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Heretofore self-acting jigging machines (that is to say, machines fed
and discharged without manual labor) have been constructed of a sieve
made to rise and fall in a cistern or trough of water, the stuff being led
on to one end of the sieve and caused to travel along it by a stream of
water running through the cistern or trough until the waste is discharged
at the opposite end to that on to which the stuff was fed.
According to this Invention, in addition to giving a rising and falling
motion to the sieves of jigging machinery, a horizontal to-and-fro
movement is simultaneously imparted to them. By this means the
waste might even be carried forward from one end of the sieves to the
other in still water or against a stream of water if desired.
The machinery consists of a V shaped trough, or hutch, say, about
24 feet long and 4 feet wide. The trough or hutch is divided by
transverse partitions into seven or other suitable number of com-
partments for the reception of the dressed ore with the addition of a
larger compartment at the end of the machine for the tailings. Fitted
into the top of the hutch are two sieves each 10 feet long by 3 feet
3 inches wide, the two in operation acting as one sieve. The wirework
of the sieves is variously sized, that nearest the head of the hutch being
gauged to 6 holes to the inch, the next size 5 holes, and the remainder
of various sizes arranged according to the nature of the stuff operated
upon and varying from 4 to 8 holes to the inch. The coarsest
wirework is placed nearest to the place of discharge to prevent the
rough dredgy portions from passing over the end of the sieve along with
the tailings. The hutch is placed upon pillars about 3 feet in height,
and at the bottom of each compartment is a valve through which upon
its being opened at the required intervals the ore or tailings as the case
may be rushes out with a stream of water into a wagon or wheelbarrow
underneath. The barrows and wagons having their sides and ends
formed of wirework or perforated metal, the water quickly drains off
and their contents are then conveyed to the floors. It will be seen that
the arrangement of the hutch greatly facilitates the division of the ore
as well as its delivery from the machine.. The sieves in their compound
pulsating movements are raised about ths of an inch, their longitudinal
c

page_text: movement being about a quarter of an inch, and in this manner they
make 150 pulsations per minute. The motion given to the sieves causes
the stuff to travel at each pulsation about a quarter of an inch towards
the tail of the machine, and at the same time forces the ore through
the wirework into the hutches below. The ore is thus constantly
moved forward and downward, constituting a feature which is novel
in the process of jigging, the waste at the same time is tossed towards
its destination and is effectually prevented from passing through the
wirework with the clean ore, a defect which to a greater or less extent
is inseparable from every other kind of jigger yet invented. To give
the rising and falling and horizontal to-and-fro movement to the sieves
the transverse horizontal bars which carry the sieves are by preference
fixed at each end to upright rods, and these at their lower ends are
connected to a series of levers linked to one another and caused to rock
simultaneously upon their axes by a revolving cam wheel acting upon
one or other of the levers. To give the horizontal to-and-fro motion
to the sieve a rod or link is jointed to one of the sieve bars, and also
to the hutch, provision being made for setting this rod or link at any
desired angle so that the amount of horizontal movement given to the
sieve can be varied. The extent of upward and downward movement
given to the sieve can also be controlled by a moveable stop to limit
the descent of the lever arms which support it after they have been
raised by the cam wheel before mentioned.
Other arrangements of mechanism for giving an alternately upward
and downward motion and simultaneously a forward and backward
motion to the sieves may be adopted.
The following are some of the features peculiar to the new machine,
viz.:―
1st. With jigging machines constructed as above described the flow
of water required is not so large as heretofore, and the stuff operated on
is more directly submitted to the jigging action, hence the dressing is
much more effectual, the ore being cleaner from waste.
2nd. The waste is discharged more free from ore, consequently there
is less loss of ore in the tailings.
3rd. As black ore is exceedingly light it is when brought into contact
with a running stream of water carried off with it, it has therefore been
found impracticable to jig stuff containing this kind of ore with any

page_text: self-acting jigging machines hitherto constructed, but as in this machine
the waste can be discharged independently of any flowing stream of
water, certain stuff containing black ore can be effectually treated.
4th. Another advantage is that a large proportion of the slime ore
passes down through the sieve into the hutch, instead of being carried
off with the waste at the tail of the machine.
5th. The speed at which stuff can be dressed is greatly superior to
what could be previously attained.
And in order that the Invention may be fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I have in the Drawings hereunto annexed shewn
a machine constructed in the manner preferred for carrying out the
Invention.
In the several views of the machine A is a driving shaft and cam
wheel giving motion to the whole apparatus; B, a lever running length-
wise, connected by loops and pins and keyed to arbors. The cam wheel
which strikes the end of one of the levers conveys uniform motion to
the machine; C, upright rods conveying motion from the levers to the
sieve bars; D, horizontal sieve bars resting on the upright rods and
suspending the sieves; E, arbors on which the levers are keyed, running
across underneath the hutch in order to convey the motion uniformly
to both sides of the sieves; F, loops connecting the different levers with
movable pins; G, short levers keyed to arbors conveying motion to the
upright rods at that side of the hutches; H, shell ¼ inch thick sur-
rounding the wood sieve. This shell is rivetted together and consequently
requires only this wooden sieve inside for convenience of fastening wire-
work and ragging bars. I, bolts running through the hutch shewn in
transverse section; K, rod giving longitudinal motion to the sieves, one
end being secured to the hutch and the other to the sieve bar; L, an
iron fastened to the hutch with a groove, so that the obliquity of the
angle of rod K can be set at pleasure; M, eyes through which the
horizontal sieve bars run, they are rivetted to the sieve and convey
motion to it; N, perforated pipe or plate through which is derived the
supply of water which washes the crushed stuff into the sieve, this is
not required when stuff is washed out direct from the crushing to the
jigging machinery by a stream of water; O, arbor and handle for
opening valve for discharge of tailing; P, pipe for discharge of dressed
ore from hutch, with handle for working valve. Handle may extend

page_text: to top of hutch or below, as may be convenient, although from the
valve at the hutch to the wheelbarrow an open launder is quite as well,
and in many cases better. Q, cast-iron pillars which can be made any
height necessary, those shewn are sufficient to admit of the dressed ore
being discharged into wheelbarrows perforated, or with wirework in the
front end, or in place of cast-iron pillars wooden or other framework
may be used; R, fly wheel for regulating all the motions of the
machine, and which is worked by a belt from the steam engine, and
should revolve at such a speed as to give 150 pulsations per minute to
the sieve. The cam wheel will work quite as well with 4 as 6 cams,
but the number of pulsations is preferred to be as stated above.
a, hutch made of 3-inch deals well bolted together and strengthened
with iron plates; b, feeding launder; c, recess or compartment into
which the tailings pass from the bottom end of No. 2 sieve. The
tailings are discharged from this compartment by the opening of the
valves; c, beams on which the plummer blocks and arbors rest; f, over-
flow launder for receiving water from the hutch; g, down right pipe for
carrying away water; h, platform for the person to stand on who looks
after the working of the machine; i, part of transverse section of hutch
shewn so as to represent part of the section of the sieve, and shewing
the bolts which fasten the wood frame to the iron shell; k, line of wire-
work; I, part of longitudinal view of hutch shewn for the purpose of
representing the ragging bars which are fastened to the bottom of the
sieve, and are from 2 to 3 inches deep; these bars always keep an even
supply of ragging, otherwise it would all traverse the sieve to the end at
which the tailings are discharged; m, wood flap attached to the hutch by
leather hinge, to be fixed as near the sieve as possible so as not to come
in contact with it, and may be turned up to admit of removal of sieve;
this flap will prevent the water from splashing up at the down stroke of
the sieve. n, internal divisions in the hutch so as to form compartments
for the different qualities of dressed ore; from the first, second, and
third probably clean ore may be obtained; from the back ones stuff to
be redressed according to the quality operated on. o, elevator for lifting
stuff to the machine. It is delivered dry so as to discharge the crushed
work into the recess from whence it is washed into the sieve by a stream
of water coming through a perforated plate or pipe. The elevator would
work better if fixed diagonally, viz., from underneath the crusher rolls
so as to conveniently discharge to the machine. But less wear and

page_text: tear will result if a launder with a stream of water is fixed underneath
the rolls, so that all the stuff is washed direct to the machine, thus ob-
viating the necessity of elevator altogether, but in this case the crushing
machinery must be set high enough for the purpose unless the ground is
such as to admit of sufficient fall of the surface. The incline for the
launders for conveying stuff from two crushers will be found to work
well at from 1 inch to 1 ½ inch per foot provided the launder is
18 inches wide with good flow of water.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which it is preferred to carry the same into effect, I would have it
understood that what is claimed is,-
1. In self-acting jigging machinery where the sieves are caused to
rise and fall in a trough of water, giving to such sieves in addition a
horizontal to-an-fro movement for the purpose described.
2. The combined arrangement of jigging machinery, substantially as
herein described and shewn by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mathews, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JOSTDIT MATTH