Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Washing Coal and other Minerals, also applicable for Washing or Separating Chemicals, Vegetable and other Solid or Liquid Matter
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan, 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Washing Coal and
other Minerals, also applicable for Washing or Separating
Chemicals, Vegetable and other Solid or Liquid Matter
We, PERCIVAL MUSCHAMP of Warren Grove, Barnsley, Mining Engineer,
and STEPHEN BURRIDGE of 20 Change Alley, Sheffield, Merchant, both in
the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be ag
follows
As the principal and action of our improved apparatus and appliance is the same
in whatever kind of mineral it is employed to treat, a description of it as applied
to a coal washing machine, to which it is more particularly applicable, will suffice
The object as in other machines of this description is to separate the heavier
particles from the light, thus in a coil washing machine, the coil would be separited
from the shale and earthv matters with which it is mixed as it leaves the mine, and
we effect this object in the follo ving manner
We employ a semi-circular trough fitted with a spiral conveyor the radius of the
lower portion of the trough corresponding to the radius of the conveyor, so that
the trough can be made to oscillate or rock concentrically with the axis of the
conveyor, such trough and conveyor being worked at an inclination
The action of the apparatus is as follows
The coal is 11pped or otherwise conveyed into the oscillating or rocking trough
at its highest end, and a stream of water is kept continually flowing down the same,
the spiral conveyor is made to revolve against the stream so that when the conl
enters the trough it is carried by the water through the open portions or above the
blades of the conveyor to the low end of the trough where it is discharged into a
hopper, wagon, or other receptacle
The heavier particles of shale and earthy matter which have been precipitated
to the bottom of the trough are by the action of the spiral conveyor conducted to
the top end of the trough whence they are discharged into a hopper, wagon, or
other receptacle
In some cases the trough may be suspended from and made to oscillate or rock
on the axis of the conveyor, in other cases the weight of the trough may be
carried on toller or ball bearings and made to oscillate or rock by means of levers,
cams, rack or other suitable motion
In some cases the lower part of the trough below the axis is made to fit the
convey or for about half, or less than half of its diameter, the trough above such
distance being made wider so as to allow of a larger surface for acting upon the
coal and also to allow of a wider range of oscillation or rocking
As a modification of the arrangement herein described instead of employing an
open trough or channel we sometimes employ a tube, such tube being either circular
or elliptical, or in some cases the uppei half of such tube we make of a larger
diameter than the lower half
We are aware that fixed troughs or channels with spui il conveyors fitted in them
have been employed for washing coal we are also aware that rocking troughs,
channels, or cradles have been employed without conveyors for the like purpose,
and in these respects we ly no claim as to novelty, the essential feature of our
invention being the employment of a locking trough, channel, ot tube placed at an

page_text: inclination in combination with a spiral conveyor arranged to work against, instead
of with the stream, concentrically with the said trough, channel, or tube
Dated this 26th day of April 1895
R HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicants
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Washing Coal and
other Minerals, also applicable for Washing or Separating
Chemicals, Vegetable and other Solid or Liquid Matter
We, PrRCIVAL MUSCHAMP of Warren Grove, Barnsley, Mining Engineer,
and STFPHEN BURRIDGE of 20, Change Alley Sheffield, Merchant, both in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement
As the principle and action of our improved apparatus and appliances is the
same in whatever kind of mineral it is employed to treat, a description of it as
applied to a coal washing machine, to which it is more particularly applicable, will
suffice
The object as in other machines of this description is to separate the heavier
particles from the light, thus in a coal washing machine, the coal would be
separated from the shale and earthy matters with which it is mixed as it leaves the
mine, and we effect this object in the following manner
The nature of our invention will be better understood on reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig 1 is a side elevation of our improved machine part of the semi-circular
tough being shewn in section
Fig 2 is an end elevation at the driving end of the machine
Fig 3 is a section on the line A B shewing the provision by which the trough
can be supported in the middle where necessary
Fig 4 is an end elevation at what may be called the delivery end of the machine
from which the washed coal is discharged
Fig 5 is a view shewing the appliances by which a rocking motion is given to
the trough and which may be employed at cither one or both ends of the machine
Fig 6 is a section on the line C D shewing the pedestal and bracket by which
the trough, a, is carried on the axis, c
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views
We employ a semi-circular trough, a, fitte l with a spiral conveyor, b, the radius
of the lower portion of the trough corresponding to the radius of the conveyor, so
that the trough can be made to oscillate or rock concentrically with the axis, c, of
the conveyor, such trough and conveyor being worked at an inclination
The action of the apparatus is as follows,
The coal is tipped by means of a hopper, d, or otherwise conveyed into the
oscillating or rocking tough near its lower end and not at its highest end is was
described in the Provisional Specification it having been found in practice to work
more effectively when the coal is delivered into the trough near its lower end
A stream of water is kept continually flowing down the tough, a, from the pipe d',
the spal conveyor, b, is made to evolve again t the stream as it flows down the
trough, a, so that when the coal enters the trough it is carried by the water
though the open portions or above the blades of the conveyor to the lowest end
of the trough where it is dischgel into a hopper, w₁on or other receptacle at e
The heavier particles of shale and carthy matter which have been piecipitited

page_text: to the bottom of the trough are by the action of the spiral conveyor conducted to
the top end of the trough whence they are discharged at, f, into a hopper, g, wagon
or other receptacle
In
ome cases the trough may be suspended from and made to oscillate or rock
on the axis of the conveyor, in other cases the weight of the trough may be
carried on roller or ball bearing, h, h, h, as shewn in Fig 3 and made to oscillate
or rock by means of levers, 1, 2, cams, 1, racks, k, and pinions, l, as shewn in Fig 5
or other suitable motion
The motion to the cam shaft, c, which is also the axis of the semi-circular
ot the duving
trough, a, and of the conveyor is communicatel by mni
apparatus at what may be called the top or highest en 1 of the machine, an end
view of which is shewn in Fig 2 m, being the diving pulley driven by a strap or
rope, n, and communicating motion to pinion shaft, o, on which is the pinion, p,
driving a spur wheel, 2, which drives the woim, r, on the shaft, s, which drives the
worm wheel,, on the axis, c, the shaft, c, being supported in pedestal, t, t, attached
to the frames, u, u, at each end of the machine The shaft, c, is also secured to
the trough, a, by pedestals and binckets, v, w, at each end of the trough, a, as
shewn in Fig 6
x, r, are stays and tie rods by which the machine is held in
position, y, being a cross head connecting the said tie rods at the lower end of the
machine, z, z, are standards for supporting the frame of the machine provided with
appliances by means of which the inclination of the machine may be regulated
The fiames u, u, at the top and bottom ends of the machine being suppited on
trunnions, u¹, u¹ , are the standards supporting the apparatus at the top end
of the machine
In some cases the lower part of the trough below the axis is made to fit the
conveyor for about half, or less than half of its diameter, the trouдh above such
distance being made wider so as to allow of a larger surface for acting upon the
coal and also to allow of a wider range of oscillation or rocking
As a modification of the airangement herein described instead of employing an
open trough or channel we sometimes employ a tube, such tube being either circular
or elliptical, or in some cases the upper half of such tube we make of a larger
diameter than the lower half
We are aware that fixed troughs or channels with spiral conveyors fitted in them
have been employed for washing coal, we are also aware that rocking troughs,
channels, or cradles have been employed without conveyors for the like purpose,
and in these respects we lay no claim as to novelty, the essential feature of our
invention being the employment of a locking trough, channel, or tube placed at an
inclination in combination with a spiral convey or arranged to work against, instead
of with the stream, concentrically with the said though, channel, or tube
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1 In apparatus for washing and separating coal and the like minerals and
substances, the arrangement and combination of parts and appliances consisting of
a rocking trough, channel, or tube with a spiral convey or placed at an inclination
and arranged so that the conveyor works concentrically with the said trough
against, and not with, the stream passing down the same in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as herein described and illustrated
Dated this 29th day of January 1896
R HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicants