Improvements in Ore Concentrators.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ore Concentrators.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES EVARTS SEYMOUR and CHARLES
FREDERICK STAVER, both of Hurley, Ashland County, State of Wisconsin,
United States of America, Manufacturer and Lumber Dealer respectively.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool & 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The invention relates to an ore concentrator constructed and adapted for separating
pulverized ore from lighter intermingled material by the use of water therewith and
the action of centrifugal force and gravitation.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete device, parts being broken away and shown
in section for convenience of illustration and to show interior construction.
Figure 2 is a detail.
The frame on which other parts of the mechanism are supported consists of the
base piece A, the posts B B, and the cross beam C.
A central vertical shaft D is journalled in the base A and in the beam C. A concave
bowl E pierced centrally by the shaft D is fixed upright and water tight to the shaft.
This bowl is intended to receive a supply of pulverized ore and intermingled earth and
foreign material, preferably through a pipe having its discharge into and directly at
the bottom of the bowl, and also a supply of water which may be delivered
thereto in a constant stream through a pipe or otherwise. An annular trough F
supported on the frame encircles the bowl near its upper edge and is adapted
to receive the overflow therefrom, which overflow is discharged from the
trough through the aperture F¹. The shaft D is hollow and is provided with
apertures GG located just above the bottom of the bowl on the inside, through
which apertures the contents of the bowl may he discharged through the shaft
downwardly. A cup shaped valve H is fitted water tight but movably about the
shaft D within the bowl, the lower edge of the valve being provided with a rubber
packing H¹ which normally bears water tight against the inner surface of the bowl.
The inner upper end of the valve H is provided with a bolt or cross bar I which passes
through vertical slots therefor in the shaft, and connects the valve to the vertically
movable stem J, by which the valve may be opened or closed as hereinafter described.
A sleeve block K about the shaft near its lower end is secured permanently to the
base A and is provided with a diametrical cam K', and a collar L fixed to the shaft
just above and bearing against the block K has a cam L' complementing the cam K'
whereby as the shaft is rotated it is given a reciprocal vertical movement, the shaft
being supported vertically by the bearing of the collar L on the block K. A bridge M
affixed to the base A receives the shaft D therethrough and serves as an additional
journal bearing therefor. Two springs N N¹ coiled about the shaft are adapted to
control and modify to a limited extent the vertical movement of the shaft. The
spring N is interposed between a collar O fixed on the shaft and a sleeve nut P
turning by screw thread into a plate Q fixed to the bridge M. The spring N' is
interposed between a collar O¹ fixed on the shaft and a sleeve nut P' turning by screw
thread into a plate O' rigid to the cross beam C. Washers M M are preferably
interposed between the springs N and N¹ and the collars O and 0¹ and sleeve nuts P
and P. The shaft passes movably through the sleeve nuts P and P¹ and through the
washers M M'.
A driving pulley R is loose on the shaft D being held in place by a collar R¹
secured removably to the shaft above it, the pulley resting on a shoulder of the shaft

page_text: below it. A friction wheel S, feathered on the shaft, is adapted when moved up
against the pulley to engage it and communicate the motion of the pulley to the shaft,
and when lowered away from the pulley is adapted to engage a bearing T fixed on the
beam (, and stop the rotation of the shaft.
A tilting lever U pivoted medially on the beam C has a bifurcate inner arm, the two
parts U U of which ride in a groove S¹ in the friction wheel S, the lever being
adapted by its tilting movement to raise and lower the friction wheel S.
The outer
arm of the lever U is provided with an elastic rod V, which at its outer end rides in a
groove in a nut V1 travelling by screw thread on a standard V₁ fixed in a post B.
By the raising and lowering of the nut V1 the lever U is tilted, the spring of the
rod V being only sufficient to permit of such slight oscillation of the arm U as is
required by the vertical reciprocal movement of the shaft D on the cam K¹ while the
friction wheel S remains in constant contact with the pulley R and the valve H remains
closed.
An extension W of the lever U is secured movably and adjustably horizontally on
the end of the lever by means of bolts a, a, passing through slots therefor in the
part W and turning into the lever U. A bifurcate wedge Y is hinged to the other
extremity of the part W, the bifurcate parts of the wedge passing on the two sides of
the stem J, and bearing on their under surfaces against the top of the shaft D, and on
their upper surfaces against the nut Z on the stem J. The wedge Y is intended to be
forced under the nut Z and thereby to raise the stem J and the thereto affixed valve H
so as to permit the concentrates or contents of the bowl E to escape into the hollow
shaft D through the apertures G G. When the part W is secured rigidly to the
lever U the wedge Y will be forced under the nut Z by the raising of the nut V1 at
the same time that the friction wheel S is carried down by the tilting of the lever U
away from the pulley R and against the plate T, so that as the shaft is disengaged
from the driving pulley R its motion will be stopped by the contact of the friction
wheel S with the fixed plate T, and at the same time the valve H will be raised so as
to permit the escape of the contents of the bowl through the shaft D. When the part W
is made movable on the lever U by loosening the bolts a a, the wedge Y may be
forced under the nut Z and withdrawn therefrom by reciprocating the part W by
means of the handle W₁ affixed thereto, without tilting the lever U.
A pan is inserted in the base A in a chamber therefor beneath the shaft J to catch
the contents of the bowl as they are discharged therefrom. The shaft D is shown in
the drawings as of larger size below the valve H than above that point, the larger size
being desirable for a sufficient passage for the contents of the bowl therethrough,
though a shaft of uniform size throughout its length might be used if more desirable
otherwise.
It will be understood that when a supply of pulverized ore and refuse is placed in
the bowl E and the bowl is partly filled with water, that thereupon the shaft and bowl
are rotated with such speed that a portion of the water with the lighter and earthy
parts of the contents of the bowl will, by centrifugal force, be thrown out of the bowl
over its edge into the trough F and discharged therefrom through the aperture F¹,
while another small portion of the water and the heavier particles or concentrates
therein, will not be thrown out under such rotation, but will remain at the bottom of
the bowl, at which point the centrifugal force is not sufficient to force them up the
side of the bowl and over the edge. When the foreign matter has been thus
sufficiently separated from the ore, the bowl may be stopped and the washed ore be
discharged therefrom downwardly through the shaft D by the raising of the nut V¹
which promptly disconnects the bowl from the driving pulley and at the same time
raises and thereby opens the valve H permitting the ore to escape into the pan b as
herein before stated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim ís:-
il, In an ore concentrator, the combination of a concave ore receptacle fixed upright

page_text: on a centrally piercing shaft, which shaft is provided with a collar bearing against a
corresponding block on the frame, the block having a cam, and the collar a corre-
sponding recess whereby as the shaft is rotated the receptacle is intermittingly raised
and dropped, compression springs coiled around the shaft having their bearings
arranged to control the vertical motion of the shaft, and a circular trough located
about the receptacle near its upper edge to catch the overflow from the receptacle,
substantially as described.
2. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with a revoluble vertical shaft supporting
thereon centrally a bowl adapted to hold a supply of ore and water, of a collar and
block bearing against each other, one fixed to the shaft and the other fixed to the
frame, one having a cam and the other a recess for receiving the cam, whereby by
the revolution of the shaft it is given an endwise motion, and springs arranged about
the shaft having their bearings so located as to limit and control the end wise nove-
ment of the shaft, substantially as described.
8. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with an ore receiving bowl fixed upright
on a centrally piercing hollow revolving shaft provided with ports within the bowl
near its bottom, of a vertically moving cup valve arranged to fit water tight about
the shaft on the inner surface of the bowl and to close the ports in the shaft, which
valve is provided with a stem for lifting it and thereby opening the ports, substantially
as described.
4. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with an ore receiving bowl fixed on a
centrally piercing hollow shaft provided with ports within and near the bottom of the
bowl, of a cup valve arranged to fit water tight on the inner surface of the bowl, a
stem movable vertically within the hollow shaft connected to the cup valve and a
wedge arranged to be forced between a bearing on the stem of the valve and the end
of the shaft whereby the valve is opened, substantially as described.
5. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with an ore receiving bowl fixed upright
on a hollow vertical revolving shaft having ports within the bowl, of a valve about
the shaft arranged to close the ports therein, which valve is provided with a stem
located and arranged to move vertically in the shaft, a tilting lever pivoted on the
frame, and a wedge hinged to one arm of the lever and arranged to be thrust by the
tilting of the lever between a bearing on the valve stem and a relatively fixed part of
the machine, substantially as described.
6. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with a vertical shaft carrying an ore
bowl fixed upright thereon, of a driving pulley loose on the shaft, a friction wheel
feathered on the shaft and arranged to be thrown into engagement with the pulley
and in engagement with a fixed hearing on the frame by means of a tilting lever,
substantially as described.
7. In an ore concentrator, a vertical shaft carrying an ore receiving bowl fixed
thereon and provided with a driving pulley revolubly loose on the shaft, in combina-
tion with a friction wheel feathered on the shaft and arranged to be thrown into
engagement with the pulley, and out of engagement with the pulley and into
engagement with a bearing fixed on the frame, a tilting lever pivoted on the frame,
one arm of which rides in a groove therefor in the friction wheel and is adapted to
shift it on the shaft, the other arm of which lever is provided with a limitedly elastic
rod, the outer end of which rides in a groove in a nut turning by a screw thread on a
fixed standard whereby the lever is tilted, substantially as described.
8. In an ore concentrator, having a revolving shaft and a shifting friction wheel
thereon, the combination with a tilting lever pivoted on the frame and arranged to
shift the friction wheel by means of an adjustable nut with which it has mechanical
connection, of a part W supported movably thereon and a wedge Y hinged to the
part W and arranged to be inserted removably between a bearing on a valve stem of
the concentrator and the end of the shaft, substantially as described.
9. In an ore concentrator, the combination, with a hollow vertical revolving shaft
carrying an upright bowl fixed thereon, the shaft being provided with ports within
the bowl and a valve about the shaft arranged to close the ports therein which
valve is provided with a stem movable vertically within the shaft, of a friction wheel

page_text: feathered on the shaft and arranged to be thrown into and out of engagement
with a driving pulley revolubly loose on the shaft, a tilting lever pivoted on the frame
one arm of which rides in a groove therefor in the friction wheel and a wedge on the
other arm of the tilting lever arranged to be thrown between a bearing on the valve
stem and the end of the shaft, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.