OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR SORTING AND WASHING ORES, MINERALS, COAL, EMERY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN A GRANULAR OR PULVERULENT STATE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry' Simon; of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of a "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
SEPARATING OR SORTING AND WASHING ORES, MINERALS, COAL, EMERY,
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN A GRANULAR OR PULVERULENT STATE."—A com-
munication from abroad by Charles Prieger and Theodor Hundt, both
of Siegen, in the Kingdom of Prussia.
Sealed the 29th September 1865, and dated the 5th April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th. April 1865.
I, HENRY SIMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR: SEPARATING OR SORTING AND WASHING ORES, MINERALS, COAL, EMERY, AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES IN A GRANULAR OR PULVERULENT STATE," to be as follows':―
This Invention consists in an arrangement of apparatus for separating or
sorting ores, minerals, coal, emery, and other substances of a similar nature,
according to the size or specific gravity of the pieces or particles, in which
such separating or sorting is effected in a continuous manner by the agency: of
a body of water rotating in a horizontal direction, through which the sub-

page_text: stances are made to fall, the effect of such rotating body of water being to
cause the said pieces or particles whilst falling through the water to travel
round with it distances increasing in inverse proportion to the size or specific
gravity of such pieces or particles. For this purpose an annular vessel, by
preference of considerable depth in proportion to its width, is caused to
rotate round a central vertical axis. This vessel is by preference divided by
an annular partition into an inner and outer compartment, which inter-
communicate near the bottom by means of apertures or perforations made in
the partition. The outer annular compartment is open at the top and closed
at the bottom, into it water is continually made to flow from the top, which
water passes into the inner annular compartment through the before-mentioned
apertures or perforations. This inner compartment is open at top, and has
also an annular opening or spout at bottom, through which the water that
flows in from the outer compartment flows off, the orifice of such annular
spout being however in such proportion to the volume of water that flows into
the vessel that the inner compartment always remains full. Into the open
top of this compartment the ores, minerals, or other materials required to be
sorted are introduced through a stationary spout, and as the vessel revolves
upon its axis the largest pieces or particles, or those having the greatest
specific gravity will fall most rapidly through the water, and will consequently
pass out with the water through the annular orifice at the bottom at a point
nearest the stationary spout, through which they fall into the vessel. The par-
ticles next in size or specific gravity will pass out at a point somewhat further
from the stationary spout, and so on, the distance from such spout at which the
particles pass out through the annular orifice of the vessel increasing in inverse
proportion to their size or specific gravity. Beneath the annular orifice at the
bottom of the rotating vessel is a stationary annular tray, divided into com-
partments corresponding in number with the degrees of fineness or specific
gravity into which it is desired to sort the substances, so that as the vessel
rotates the pieces or particles of a certain size or specific gravity will always
fall from the annular orifice into a certain compartment, whence they may
either be removed from time to time, or they may be made to pass thence
through a shoot to wherever required. The velocity with which the annular
vessel rotates will have to vary according to the nature of the material that is
to be sorted, but in any case this velocity must be in such proportion to the
specific gravity of the material that the finest or lightest particles of such
material shall have time to pass down through the water and out through the
orifice at the bottom during one revolution of the vessel. If at the same time
that the ores, minerals, or other materials are sorted in the before-described

page_text: manner, it is required to cleanse the same from carthy matter or other foreign
substances that are of a less specific gravity than the material itself, then by
causing more water to flow into the outer compartment of the vessel than can
flow out through the annular orifice at the bottom of the inner compartment
an upward current will be produced in the latter by the water passing into it
through the perforations or apertures at the bottom of the partition, and
flowing up through it in order to escape over its inner rim, which is for this
purpose made rather lower than the rim of the outer compartment. By
means of such upward current the particles of earth or other light foreign
matter are separated from the substances as they pass down through the
water, and are carried up over the inner rim of the vessel together with the
water, and fall into a central tray at bottom, whence they pass through a
spout to wherever required. Instead of causing the water to flow into the
outer compartment of the vessel, and introducing the material to be sorted
into the inner compartment, the arrangement may be reversed, and the water
be introduced into the inner compartment, and made to flow from the bottom
of the outer compartment. Also in some cases it may be sufficient to have
only one annular compartment, into which both the water and the materials
to be sorted are introduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Simon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SIMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Simon, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Simon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Henry Simon, my executors, 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, au Invention
for "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR SORTING AND WASHING

page_text: ORES, MINERALS, COAL, EMERY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN A GRANULAR OR
PULVERULENT STATE," a communication to me from abroad by Charles Prieger
and Theodor Hundt, both of Siegen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Simon, my exécutors 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Simon, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in an arrangement of apparatus for separating or
sorting ores, minerals, coal, emery, and other substances of a similar nature,
according to the size or specific gravity of the pieces or particles, in which
such separating or sorting is effected in a continuous manner by the agency
of a body of water rotating in a horizontal direction, through which the
substances are made to fall, the effect of such rotating body of water being to
cause the said pieces or particles whilst falling through the water to travel
round with it distances increasing in inverse proportion to the size or specific
gravity of such pieces or particles. For this purpose an annular vessel, by
preference of considerable depth in proportion to its width, is caused to rotate
round a central vertical axis. This vessel is by. preference divided by an
annular partition into an inner and outer compartment, which intercom-
municate near the bottom by means of apertures or perforations made in the
partition. The outer annular compartment is open at the top and closed at
the bottom, into it water is continually made to flow from the top, which
water passes into the inner annular compartment through the before-mentioned
apertures or perforations. This inner compartment is opened. at top, and has
also an annular opening or spout at bottom, through which the water that
flows in from the outer compartment flows off, the orifice of such annular
spout being however in such proportion to the volume of water that flows
Into the
into the vessel that the inner compartment always remains full.
open top of this compartment the ores, minerals, or other materials required
to be sorted are introduced through a stationary spout, and as the vessel
revolves upon its axis the largest. pieces or. particles, or those having the

page_text: greatest specific gravity will fall most rapidly through the water, and will
consequently pass out with the water through the annular orifice at the
bottom at a point nearest the stationary spout, through which they fall into
the vessel. The particles next in size or specific gravity will pass out at a
point somewhat further from the stationary spout, and so on, the distance
from such spout at which the particles pass out through the annular orifice of
the vessel increasing in inverse proportion to their size or specific gravity.
Beneath the annular orifice at the bottom of the rotating vessel is a stationary
annular tray, divided into compartments corresponding in number with the
degrees of fineness or specific gravity into which it is desired to sort the
substances, so that as the vessel rotates the pieces or particles of a certain
size or specific gravity will always fall from the annular orifice into a certain
compartment, whence they may either be removed from time to time, or they
may be made to pass thence through a shoot to wherever required. The
velocity with which the annular vessel rotates will bave to vary according to
the nature of the material that is to be sorted, but in any case the velocity
must be in such proportion to the specific gravity of the material that the
finest or lightest particles of such material shall have time to pass down
through the water, and out through the orifice at the bottom during one
revolution of the vessel. It will be readily understood that if the materials
are to be sorted according to specific gravity all the pieces must be of the
same size. If at the same time that the ores, minerals, or other materials
are sorted in the before-described manner it is required to cleanse the same
from earthy matter or other foreign substances that are of a less specific
gravity than the material itself, then by causing more water to flow into
the outer compartment of the vessel than can flow out through the
annular orifice at the bottom of the inner compartment an upward current
will be produced in the latter by the water passing into it through the
perforations or apertures at the bottom of the partition, and flowing
up through it, in order to escape over its inner rim, which is for this
purpose made rather lower than the rim of the outer compartment. By
means of such upward current the particles of earth or other light foreign
matter are separated from the substances as they pass down through the
water, and are carried up over the inner rim of the vessel together with the
water, and fall into a central tray at bottom, whence they pass through a
spout to wherever required. Instead of causing the water to flow into the
outer compartment of the vessel, and introducing the material to be sorted
into the inner compartment, the arrangement may be reversed, and the water
be introduced into the inner compartment, and made to flow from the bottom

page_text: of the outer compartment. Also in some cases it may be sufficient to have one
annular compartment, into which both the water and the materials to be sorted
are introduced. Although I have described the improved apparatus as acting in
a continuous manner, yet it will obviously act equally well if the ores or other
materials are introduced and removed from the apparatus intermittently.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings show one
arrangement of the before-described apparatus. Figure 1 shows a vertical
section of the same; Figure 2 shows a plan, and Figure 3 shows a plan of the
annular tray. Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in each of
these Figures.
A is the annular revolving vessel, made to rotate at a slow speed round the
central axis B, the latter being provided with either speed pullies C driven by
straps, or with other known arrangement of gearing for that purpose. The
vessel A is divided by a partition D into an outer annular compartment E,
and an inner one F, which intercommunicate through perforations G formed
in the bottom of the partition. The compartment E is open at the top and
closed at the bottom, while the compartment F is open at top, and has
also a narrow annular opening H round the bottom, which latter is adjustable
by means of an annular slide I. Into the compartment E water is made to
flow continuously through a pipe J, the orifice K of which is widened out
considerably, and closed by a perforated plate, as shown, in order to distribute
the water as much as possible, so as not to cause much commotion on passing
into the vessel. Into the compartment F the ores or other substances to be
sorted are introduced through the shoot L. From this arrangement it will be
seen that as water and ores are made to pass respectively into the com-
partments E and F, the vessel A having at the time a slow rotary motion
imparted to it in the direction of the arrow, the water will pass through the
perforations Ginto the compartment F, and after filling the latter will flow
off through the orifice H, at the same time the particles of ores or other
materials being carried round by the vessel A while passing down through the
compartment F will arrive at the bottom of such compartment, and issue
with the water from the orifice H at distances from the shoot L, varying
according to their specific gravity, that is, those pieces or particles of greatest
specific gravity will pass out of the vessel at the point nearest the shoot L,
those next in specific gravity will pass out somewhat further on, and so on,
the speed with which the vessel A rotates being so proportioned that the
particles of least specific gravity will pass from the vessel before arriving
again beneath the shoot L. Beneath the rotating vessel A is situated a
stationary aunular tray M, divided by partitions N into a number of com-

page_text: partments, figured 1 to 18 on plan, corresponding with the number of degrees
of specific gravity into which it is desired to divide the ores. Into these
compartments the ores fall from the orifice H, and they are removed from
thence either from time to time through spouts O, provided with cocks or
valves, or in any other convenient manner.
When it is required to remove
from the ores or other materials soluble matter, dirt, or foreign substances of
very light specific gravity, or in a very finely divided state before they pass
into the annular tray M, this may be effected by causing more water to pass
into the vessel A through the pipe J than can issue during the same time
from the orifice H, whereby the water on passing through the perforations G
will partly rise up through the compartment F, in order to flow over the edgo
of the inner wall of the same, which is for that purpose made rather lower
than the other walls of the vessel, and the water in passing up, as described,
will carry with it and thus separate the particles of dirt or foreign matters
before mentioned from the ores or other materials passing down through the
vessel, and will cause them-to flow with it over the top of the vessel, and to
pass down along the inner wall and into the compartment P of the tray M, a
rim Q being made to slope from the vessel A over the partition R, in order
to prevent such dirt or foreign matter from passing into the compartments 1
to 18. The water and dirt or foreign matter are conducted away through
passages S, S. As before stated the apparatus may also be arranged with
but one single compartment F, into which both the water and the materials
to be sorted are introduced. By the employment of two compartments, as
shown, the water in the compartment F is kept in a more quiescent state,
whereby the separating of the materials according to their specific gravity is
not so liable to be interfered with. This may, however, also be effected by
the arrangement as shown in Figures 4 to 6 on Sheet I. of the Drawings,
which arrangement also has the advantage of not requiring such a large
expenditure of water to effect the sorting, as is the case in the previous
arrangement.
Figure 4 shows a sectional elevation; Figure 5 shows a plan, and Figure 6
shows a transverse section of one of the compartments of the tray M. In this
arrangement the rotating vessel A has only one compartment F, into which
the ores or other materials are introduced continuously through the shoot L,
the compartment E in the before-described arrangement being here represented
by the stationary vessel E surrounding the vessel A, and into which water is
introduced through the spout J. This vessel is connected by a water-tight
joint at with the tray M, having compartments N, as before described, from
which the ores or other materials and water are removed from time to time

page_text: through the cocks or valves O. It will be seen that the vessel E together
with the tray M form a closed receptacle filled with water, in which the
vessel A rotates, and from which the water only flows off when the ores or
other materials are being removed, so that there is not nearly such an
expenditure of water as in the previous arrangement, where the water flows
off continuously with the ores into the tray. The annular space of the
vessel A is made tapering, as shown, so as to leave only a small annular
opening at bottom, through which the ores or other materials pass into the
compartments N of the tray M. This tapering form prevents the water con-
tained in the space F from remaining stationary while the vessel A rotates,
and this may be furthermore prevented by thin division plates passing across
the space F and connecting the two sides thereof. These division plates are
by preference made to run only half way down the vessel from the top on the
one side of the vessel, and only half way up from the bottom on the other
'side, so as to interfere as little as possible with the downward passage of the
ores through the vessel. For the same reason if the rotary velocity of the
vessel A and water contained in the same were such that the inertia of
the particles of ores did not allow of their moving with the same speed, then
these division plates would have to be fixed in a slanting position, sloping
forward at the top in the direction of the motion of the vessel A.
Such
motion is imparted to this vessel in this case by means of a strap passing
round the top of the vessel itself at C. The vessel A is by preference made
of thin sheet metal, and the receptacle E and tray M are of wood, made
sufficiently strong to withstand the pressure of the water; the whole of the
apparatus may however be made of iron, or of any other suitable material.
At Figure 7, Sheet II., is shown a transverse section of a tray made of cast
iron M, the compartments N having a transverse sectioual form, as shown at
Figure 8.
Figure 9 shows a transverse section of an apparatus constructed on a larger
scale for sorting larger quantities of ores, coals, &c. at a time. Here the
revolving receptacle A is not fixed to a central shaft, as in the previous
arrangements, but is provided with wheels B, B, running upon a circular
rail D fixed to the bottom of the tank or reservoir E filled with water. The
sorted ores, coal, &c., may be removed from the compartments N either by
means of passages O formed through the wall of the reservoir, and closed by
means of valves, as shown, or they may be raised to the top of the reservoir
by means of endless chains-with buckets or scoops, which latter arrangement
would be preferable, as would allow of the removal of the ores taking place
continuously. The requisite rotary motion may be imparted to the vessel A

page_text: either by means of a worm in gear with a worm wheel fixed to the upper
edge of the vessel, or by means of a band passing round the same, as in the
before-described arrangement. If the apparatus is of considerable diameter
in proportion to the degrees of fineness. or specific gravity into which it is
required to divide the ores, &c., these may be introduced into the vessel at
several points, at such distances apart, however, that the whole of the ores,
&c. that have fallen into the vessel at one point from one shoot shall have
passed out of the vessel before arriving over the first compartment N
appertaining to the next shoot.
Figure 10 shows a sectional elevation of an arrangement which differs from
that described with reference to Figures 4 to 6, only in the form of the
tray M, and the mode of emptying the compartments N of the ores, &c., as
they collect. These compartments are made of greater depth than in the
previous arrangements, and are provided at bottom with apertures 0, 0,
closed by means of discs or plugs P, P, attached to rods Q, Q, having a
screw thread working through projections R on the receptacle E, and passing
thence up to the top of the receptacle, where they are provided with
handles S, S. When the compartments N are full of the sorted material,
the discs or plugs P are screwed down, and the materials pass through the
holes O into the passages T, T, which conduct them to wherever required.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that
I am aware that it has already been proposed to sort ores and other materials
according to their specific gravity or size by the aid of the different velocities
with which they fall through water, and I in no way claim this generally, nor
do I limit myself to the precise arrangements of apparatus as herein-before
described with reference to the accompanying Drawings, as it is obvious that
these may be variously modified without departing from the nature of this
Invention; but what I claim is,―
First, the construction and employment of apparatus for separating or
sorting ores, minerals, coal, emery, and other materials according to their
specific gravity or size, in which such separating or sorting is effected by the
agency of a body of water contained inside a vessel rotating round a vertical
or nearly vertical axis, through which vessel the ores, minerals, coal, emery,
or other materials are made to fall, substantially as berein-before described
with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the various arrangements of apparatus for separating or sorting
ores and other materials, herein-before described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Third, the arrangement of apparatus for both sorting and washing ores and
other materials, herein-before described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 on
Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
HENRY SIMON. (L.S.)