Improvements in Ore Sampling Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ore Sampling Machines.
I, HENRY LE ROY BRIDGMAN, of Blue Island, in the State of Illinois, United
States of America, 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 mass.
My invention relates to improvement in the class of machines employed in ore
reduction works for the purpose of obtaining from a mass of ore a sample which,
on being reduced, may operate as a basis on which to determine the value of
A sample to be correct, of course, must contain the same relative
quantities of the constituents of the mass, as are contained in the mass itself.
The object of my invention is to provide a machine of improved construction for
automatically sampling ore, which shall be quick and thoroughly reliable in its
operation, and be of simple, durable and economical construction.
My object is further to provide an ore sampling machine for employment where
samples of large masses of ore are to be obtained, and by the use of which one
or more conveniently small and reliable samples (as of a car-load) of ore, may
be set apart by causing the mass to pass but once through the machine.
In the drawing-
Figure 1 is a view in vertical sectional elevation of my improved sampling
machine, the section being taken on a line indicated at 1-1 in Figure 3, and
viewed in the direction of the arrows; and
Figures 2 and 3, ton-plan views of details of the construction.
The stationary parts of the machine comprise a base, A, standards A', A² and A³,
and a collecting device Aª comprising three concentric guide-chutes or collectors B, B'
and B2. Extending vertically upward from the base, and centrally of the con-
centric chutes, is a rotary shaft C provided with a beveled gear-wheel C. Loosely
surrounding the shaft C, and extending the greater part of the length of the latter
is an independently rotary sleeve D, provided with a beveled gear-wheel D'; and
loosely surrounding the sleeve D is a shorter and independently rotary sleeve E,
provided with a beveled gear-wheel E¹. The standard A' operates as a support
for three rotary shafts M, N and O. Upon the outer end of the shaft M is a
drive-pulley M, and at its inner end a beveled gear wheel M2 which meshes with
the wheel D¹. Between the wheels M' and M², and upon the shaft M at opposite
sides of the standard A', respectively, are a cog-wheel M³ and pinion M₁. The
shaft N is provided, at its inner end, with a beveled gear-wheel N¹ in mesh with
the wheel C, and with a cog-wheel N2 in mesh with the pinion M₁; and the shaft O
carries a beveled gear-wheel O' engaging the wheel E³, and a pinion O³ engaging
the cog-wheel M³.
Fixed to the sleeve E above the guide chutes, is a rotary apportioning device F,
and directly above the latter is a similar rotary apportioning device G, fixed to the
sleeve D. Upon the shaft C, to rotate therewith, and above the apportioning
device G, is still another apportioning device H.
The guide chutes are annular at their upper portions and are separated by
partitions and t¹. They are shallow, as shown, at one side of the machine and
deepen and narrow gradually toward the opposite side, where they terminate in
spouts & s' and s².
The apportioning device F, is funnel-shaped throughout the greater part of its
area, being supported and strengthened by radial arms, r, which extend from the
central collar which is keyed to the sleeve E. The device terminates at the
bottom in a short annular spout, p, which extends a short distance down into
the chute B. At opposite sides of the spout p and in direct radial line with each

page_text: other are two sets of bottomless compartments or chutes m n, the chutes of each set
being separated from each other by a partition and from the annular space over
the spout p by a partition . The partitions and side-walls of the chutes extend
down to the plane of the lower end of the spout p, the lower ends of the said
partitions being bifurcated, as shown, to clear the top edges of the partitions t t.
The partitions and extend upward to the plane of the top of the device F, and
the side-walls of the chutes to a plane somewhat below the top of the latter. The
two compartments or chutes m are equidistant from the centre of the device and,
in the rotation of the latter, travel the same annular path. The two compartments
or chutes are also equidistant from the centre of the device and travel the same
annular path. The segmental spaces between the two sets of chutes m n, afford
confluent chutes q, terminating in the spout p.
In the device shown, each chute m and n is of an area equal to one-eighth of the
area of the annular path which it travels.
The apportioning device G is in construction and dimensions similar to the
device F, its spout p extending into the top of the spout p of the latter, its chute m
over the path of the chute m of the lower apportioner, and its chute n over the path
of the chute n in the latter.
The apportioning device H, comprises an annular trough H', upon supporting-
arms, H2, radiating from the central collar, H³, which is keyed to the shaft C.
The trough H is divided, preferably, into eight hopper-shaped compartments, i,
each terminating at the bottom in a circular outlet opening it. The trough H¹ is
centrally over the annular path of the chutes m of the device G. On the bottom
of the trough at the outlet openings, are eight downward projecting spouts h,
which are adjustably secured in position so that they may be turned to discharge
into the spout p, or paths of the chutes m or n of the device G.
In practice, to obtain the smallest samples of a mass of ore, only one of the
spouts would be adjusted to discharge into the path of the chutes m, and another
of the spouts to discharge into the path of the chutes n, the remaining six spouts
being adjusted to discharge into the spout p.
h
I is a horizontal rotary shaft extending across the machine above the apportioning
device H, and supported toward opposite ends in the standards A3 and A³. Upon
the shaft is a spiral blade I' smallest at one end and gradually increasing in
diameter to the other end. A casing K fits closely over the spiral blade, but out
of contact with it, and has a spout K leading from the lower part of its flaring end
directly over the trough H. Adjacent to the convergent end of the casing K and
emptying into an elongated opening, g, at the side of the latter is a hopper L.
The shaft I is provided with a pulley at which it is belted to a pulley on the drive
shaft M.
When the drive-shaft is rotated it turns the shaft I and its spiral blade, and the
sleeve D. Owing to its gear connection with the shafts N and O, it rotates the
former and the shaft C at a reduced speed, and the latter and sleeve E, at an
increased speed, both in a direction contrary to its own.
In operation, the ore, in a crushed state, is fed into the hopper L, whence, by
the action of the spiral blade, it is discharged in a uniform stream through the
spout K' into the rotating trough H', and is distributed equally into the hopper i,
so that one-eighth part of the mass which falls to the trough, passes out at each
spout. The six-eighths of the entire mass passing down through the spouts h,
which extend over the annular spout p of the contrarily rotating apportioning
device G, under the arrangement above suggested, falls directly through the
latter, and coincident spout p of the apportioning device F, to the guide chute B,
and is discharged at the spouts. One eighth portion of the mass, passing down
through the spout h which extends over the annular path of the chute m of
the device G, is distributed equally over the said path, one-eighth of the said
eighth portion into each of the distributing chutes m at opposite sides of that device,
and the remaining six-eighths thereof, into the confluent chutes q, whence it passes,
with the first discarded six-eighths, down through the spouts p to the chute B

page_text: and out at the spout s.
Each eighth portion of the original one-eighth which
falls, as described, into the chutes m is distributed over the path of the chutes m
of the apportioning device F, which as stated, rotates in the direction contrary
to the device G. One-eighth of the last-named eighth portion falls through each
chute m of the device F to the annular guide-chute B and is discharged at
the spouts, while the remaining six-eighths of the said eighth falls to the con-
fluent chutes ย of that device, and is discharged with the rest of the discarded
portion, at the spout s.
to the
That eighth portion of the entire mass which passes through the spout h
terminating over the annular path of the chutes n of the device G, is distributed
equally over the said path, one-eighth of the original eighth into each dis-
tributing chute n, and six-eighths thereof, into the confluent chutes
spout to be discarded. The said two-eighths passing through the chutes n is
distributed equally over the annular path of the chutes n of the apportioning
device F, six-eighths thereof passing into the confluent chutes q and thence to
the chute B and spouts, and the remaining two-eighths through the chutes n
to the guide chute B2 and out at the spout s².
Two approximately equal samples of the mass of ore are thus obtained, one,
the portion discharged at the spout and the other, that discharged at the
spouts, each sample representing about 128 part of the whole mass. The
apportioner H is rotated across the spout K with a rapidity which will cause
such extensive distribution of the crushed ore falling from the latter, that it is
very unlikely that there will exist any appreciable variation in the constituent
parts of the ore discharged by the various spouts h. The rotation of the
apportioner G, in the contrary direction to the other apportioner, and at an
increased speed, causes a very much more wide-spread distribution of the two-
eighths first separated; and the still more rapid rotation, in the contrary direction,
of the apportioner F, makes the distribution of the parts from which the samples
are obtained far more extensive than that in the apportioner G. Thus the
chances of any variation in constituent parts between the first one-eighth portion
and the final one-sixteenth part thereof are exceedingly remote; and if when
assayed the results obtained from the two samples are found to agree, as in all
likelihood they will, there can be no reasonable doubt that they are correct
samples of the entire mass. In most cases an assay of only one sample would
be made.
If desired only one apportioner intermediate of the apportioner H, and the
collectors or guide-chutes, may be employed; but while the result would be
satisfactory in quality, where ore in car-loads is to be sampled the samples
would be larger than desired. With the machine described and spouts h
directed as stated, two samples of about 156 pounds each would be taken from
a car-load of 20,000 pounds, which would be about the quantities desired.
More than two apportioners F, G, may be employed where smaller samples are
wanted, or ore in larger masses is to be sampled.
I do not confine my invention to the exact construction of the apportioners or
collectors, nor to the degree of division which the apportioners effect. Thus more
or less than eight outlets may be provided upon the device H, and more or less than
one-quarter deflected, as described, by the chutes m n of the apportioners G, F.
And more than one spout may, if desired, be directed over the annular paths of
the chutes m and n.
The feed mechanism shown, between the hopper L and trough H¹, though
desirable, and of the preferred construction, could be dispensed with, or its con-
struction changed, as, if mechanism for the purpose is used, any construction thereof
which will produce an even feed of ore to the trough may be employed.
My improved machine may be employed for obtaining samples of any other
material besides ore which is susceptible of being divided by the apportioning
devices in the same way.
While the rotary sampler shown and described is the construccion I prefer to

page_text: employ, I desire it understood that my invention is not in its broad sense to be
limited to this construction, as the apportioning devices, as will readily be apparent,
may partially rotate, instead of wholly rotate, or may even be stationary or oscillate
or reciprocate; and such a variation in the form of these particular details, when
combined with the other elements, as set forth in the claims, is included within the
scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1-In an ore-sampler, the combination with the feed, of apportioning mechanism
below the feed, operating, automatically, to divide from the mass, as it is fed to the
machine, two or more samples, to subject one or more of those samples, separately,
to redivision, and to discharge the ultimate samples, separately from the machine,
substantially as described.
2-In an ore-sampling machine the combination with the feed, of apportioning
mechanism below the feed, operating, automatically, to divide from the mass, as it
is fed to the machine, two or more samples, to subject each of those samples,
separately, to redivision, and to discharge the ultimate samples, thus obtained,
separately from the machine, substantially as described.
3-In an ore-sampling machine the combination with a feed and stationary
collector below it of two or more moving and co-operating apportioning devices
between the feed and collector, substantially as described.
4-In an ore-sampler, the combination with a feed and a stationary collector
below it, of two or more rotary co-operating apportioning devices between the feed
and collector, substantially as described.
5-In an ore-sampler, the combination with the feed and stationary collectors
below it, of a rotary apportioning device divided circumferentially and radially
into compartments having outlets leading to the collectors, and a rotary apportioning
device H, above the first-named apportioning device, comprising an annular trough
below the feed and having a series of outlets terminating over the compartments
in the lower apportioning device, substantially as described.
6-In an ore-sampler, the combination with a feed and a stationary collector
below it of two or more intermediate co-operating apportioning devices rotating
successively in opposite directions, substantially as described.
7-In an ore-sampler, the combination of a feed regulator, as the rotary spiral
blade I', stationary collectors below the said regulator, and one or more intermediate
co-operating apportioning devices, substantially as described.
8 In an ore-sampler, the combination with the feed, of a rotary apportioning
device H having an annular trough H', below the feed, provided with outlet
openings, an apportioning device below and rotating in a direction contrary to
the device H, and provided with outlets at varying distances from its centre, and
describing in the rotation of the said lower device, concentric circles, a series of
spouts / extending from the openings and terminating, respectively in concentric
planes over the paths of the outlets in the said lower device, and annular concentric
collectors below the paths of the outlets in the said lower apportioning device,
substantially as described.
9-In an ore-sampler, the combination with the feed, of a rotary apportioning
device H, having an annular trough H¹ below the feed, provided with outlet
openings, ¹, an apportioning device below, and rotating in a direction contrary to
the device H, and divided circumferentially and radially into compartments q, r
and m, the compartments m and a rotating in planes concentric with each othe
and all the compartments having outlets describing, in the rotation of the lower
said device, circles concentric with each other, a series of spouts h extending from
the openings i¹, and terminating, respectively, in concentric planes over the paths
of the compartments in the lower said device, and annular concentric collectors
below the paths of the outlets of said compartments, substantially as described.

page_text: 10-In an ore-sampler, the combination with the feed of a rotary apportioning
device H, having an annular trough H', below the feed and divided into a series of
hopper-shaped compartments i, having outlets i¹, an apportioning device below and
rotating in a direction contrary to the device H, and provided with outlets at
varying distances from its centre, and describing, in the rotation of the said lower
device, concentric circles, a series of spouts h extending from the openings i¹ and
terminating, respectively, in concentric planes over the paths of the outlets in the
said lower device, and annular concentric collectors below the paths of the outlets
in the said lower apportioning device. substantially as described.
11-In an ore-sampler, the combination of the co-operating apportioning
devices H and F, rotating in the same direction, and intermediate co-operating
apportioning device G, rotating in the contrary direction, and stationary collector A³,
below the device G, substantially as described.
Dahin a dose of A 1801
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.