IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHINGAL FOR WASHING COAL AND OTHER MINERALS OR MATERIALS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bell Junior of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in the
County of York and William Ramsay of Tursdale Colliery in the County of
Durham for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bell jr. & William
Ramsay at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April
1882.
THOMAS BELL Junior of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in the County of York and
WILLIAM RAMSAY of Tursdale Colliery in the County of Durham "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND OTHER MINERALS OR MATERIALS
כן
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for washing coal
and other minerals or materials.
On the 28th day of May in last year we filed a Provisional Specification
No. 2356 relating to apparatus of this nature and we obtained Letters Patent
thereon. We experienced however great difficulties in practically carrying out the
Invention, so much so that we were unable within the time prescribed to file the
Specification required by the terms of the grant.
These difficulties we have since been able to overcome; and we now arrange
washing apparatus in the following manner :-We employ a trough of a
semi-cylindrical form; it is mounted in an inclined position, the coal is placed
upon it at the higher end, and a stream of water is directed along it.
We provide an axis passing along the trough from end to end, and the axis
carries arms or stirrers; it is caused to rotate partially so as to impart to the arms
or stirrers an oscillating movement which keeps the contents of the trough
in motion. There are ledges or stops within the trough to stop the heavier
matters which descend to the bottom from passing onwards. These ledges or stops
are not fixed to the trough they are carried independently, as also is the axis, and
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page_text: the ledges have Dexible flaps fixed to them underneath. The arrangement is such
also that when the trough contains a certain quantity of mineral impurities stopped
back by the ledges or stops it can be dropped away from or removed from the
ledges or stops and the stirrers and made to discharge the refuse into a suitable
receptacle. For this purpose we fix the trough near its upper end to an axis, and
near the other or lower end we suspend it by the aid of counterpoises, which
adinit of its being raised and lowered with but little expendituro of force.
The flexible flaps on the underside of the ledges or stops serve to prevent
impurities being carried down beneath them so as to become mixed with the washed
material and without such flaps upon the ledges or stops we have not found it
possible to produce an efficient machine.
Apparatus thus arranged is applicable not only for coal but also for washing
other minerals or materials.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Bell jr. & William Ramsay in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th October 1882.
THOMAS BELL Junior of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in the County of York and
WILLIAM RAMSAY of Tursdale Colliery in the County of Durham "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND OTHER MINERALS OR MATERIALS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for washing coal
and other mineral or materials.
On the 28th day of May in last year we filed a provisional Specification
No. 2356 relating to apparatus of this nature and we obtained Letters Patent
thereon. We experienced however great difficulties in practically carrying out the
invention, so much so that we were unable within the time prescribed to file the
Specification required by the terms of the grant.
These difficulties we have since been able to overcome; and we now arrange
washing apparatus in the following manner :- We employ a trough of a
semi-cylindrical form; it is mounted in an inclined position, the coal is placed
upon it at the higher end, and a stream of water is directed along it.
We provide an axis passing along the trough from end to end, and the axis
carries arms or stirrers; it is caused to rotate partially so as to impart to the arms
or stirrers an oscillating movement which keeps the contents of the trough in
motion. There are ledges or stops within the trough to stop the heavier matters
which descend to the bottom fron passing onwards. These ledges or stops are not
fixed to the trough they are carried independently, as also is the axis, and the
ledges have flexible flaps fixed to them underneath. The arrangement is such also
that when the trough contains a certain quantity of mineral impurities stopped
back by the ledges or stops it can be dropped away from or removed from the
ledges or stops and the stirrers and made to discharge the refuse into a suitable
receptacle. For this purpose we fix the trough near its upper end to an axis,
and near the other or lower end we suspend it by the aid of counterpoises,
which admit of its being raised and lowered with but little expenditure of force.
The flexible flaps on the underside of the ledges or stops serve to prevent
impurities being carried down beneath them so as to become mixed with the
washed material and without such flaps upon the ledges or stops we have not found
it possible to produce an efficient machine.
Apparatus thus arranged is applicable not only for coal but also for washing
other minerals or materials.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus constructed according to our Invention
for washing coal or other mineral.
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same and
Figure 4 is a transverse section.
a, a, is the washing trough, it is of semi-cylindrical form in transverse section

page_text: d, d, are ledges or stops within the washing trough but not attached to it, they
aro carried by the stationary frame work of the apparatus.
Tho ledges or stops are made of sheet iron of a semicircular shapo. Figure 5
shows to a larger scalo a front elevation of one of them. Around the edge of the
ledge or stop there is rivetted a strip of india rubber, leather, or other pliable
substance, d', so as to render the stops perfectly tight in the trough, and prevent
the finer particles of stono or other refuse passing underneath and mixing with the
clean coal which is washed forward.
c is an axis carried in bearings upon the fixed frame it is armed with the
stirrers fand, receives a rocking movement in the manner indicated. A speed of
28 completo oscillations per minute will be found suitable for this axis when
working with coal.
g, is the water inlet at the upper end of the washing trough it is controlled by
a sluice cock his the hopper by which the coal or mineral is fed into the trough.
Whilst the washing is going on the parts occupy the positions indicated by the
drawings: the material of greater specific gravity than the bulk falls to the
bottom and is prevented descending the trough by the stops d. The lighter
material say the coal is carried down the incline by the water aided by the
movement imparted by the stirrers and passes off into the delivery shoot In
the shoot there is a trap i which can nt pleasure be dropped so as to divort the
materials descending the shoot into the refuso waggon k. When the washing has
gone on so long that the spaces behind the stops are nearly full of the heavier
inntters which it is the object of the process to separate, the supply of coal or
mineral at the upper end of the trough is stopped. When the delivery at the
lower end of the trough has ceased the trap it is opened and the trough is lowered
into the position indicated by the dotted lines at l,l. The heavy matters are then
delivered into the waggon & there being then no stops to prevent it sliding freely
down the trough.
When coal is the mineral which is being washed the heavier parts are the refuse
but in washing other minerals this will not always be the case.
Having thus described the nature of our said invention and the manner of
performing the same we would have it understood that we claim :-
Our improved apparatus for washing coal and other minerals or materials
having ledges or stops provided with flexible flaps and a trough soparated from
the ledges or stops and an axis with agitating arms all substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Bell have herounto set my hand and
seal this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
THOMAS BELL J" (L.S.)