Improvements in Ore Feeders.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1899 -Accepted, 21st Oct.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ore Feeders.
I, ROBERT HENRY JEFFREY, of 45, Hornsey Lane Gardens, Highgate, in the
County of Middlesex, Mining 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for feeding ores, tailings, sand or crushed
matter containing ore, to concentrating or other machinery.
The object of the invention is to effect a continuous feed in regulated quantities
of the material from the settling tank or tanks to concentrating machinery,
thereby saving the cost of hand labour ordinarily employed, and obviating well
known disadvantages incidental to the same.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a diagram view illustrating the arrangement of an apparatus for
feeding ore in regulated quantities from the settling tanks to the concentrators.
Figure 2 is a cross section of one of the troughs.
Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the feeder tanks.
Figure 4 is a central vertical section of the lower portion of the tank or hopper.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section illustrating a modification in which a series of
jet tubes is employed.
1 is a settling tank which may be of any suitable or desirable shape, but is
preferably a tapered hopper suitably supported by a frame 2, and provided with
one or more openings 3, in the bottom thereof, through which the material
is discharged. These discharge openings are preferably conical, that is to say,
they flare downwardly and may be relatively arranged in any manner desired.
When employing only one opening however, it is preferably placed at the centre
of the bottom of the hopper, as indicated in Figure 3.
Immediately beneath each of the discharge openings, a jet tube is arranged
and communicates with the source of water supply 5, by a pipe 6, the supply
being regulated by a valve 7. Encircling the jet tube adjacent near its nozzle
is a conical adjustable sleeve or plug 8 held by means of a set screw 9.
After the conical plug or sleeve has been properly set, subsequent adjustment
may be effected by elevating or depressing the jet tube, and to render this possible
any suitable means may be employed, such for example, as a cross bar or lever 10,
fixed to the jet tube and maintained at a proper height by means of removable
pins 11, 11 engaging in holes in the bar and depending projections 12, 12 from
the hopper frame.
The preferred arrangement of the apparatus is illustrated in Figure 1 and
consists of a series of feeders F, F similar in construction to that above described,
together with oppositely inclined troughs T, T into which the feeders discharge,
as indicated by arrows, the material being delivered thereby to a distributor D,
from whence it passes by way of inclined troughs T2 T2 to the concentrators C, C.
The delivery of the material to the concentrators is regulated by means of
gate valves G, G which are removably held in the troughs by guides g, gas
shown in Figure 2. These valves consist of a body portion g², having an upward

page_text: projecting handle g³, to facilitate their removal or adjustment. The body portion
of the valve is cut away at 4, to permit the flow of the material from the dis-
tributor, the openings formed by the cut away portion being varied to regulate
the feed and effect an equitable distribution to the concentrators.
In operation, the discharge opening or openings of the hopper is first closed
by the conical plug and so maintained during the time the material is settling.
If it is desired to run off a portion or start the feed to the concentrators, the
plugs are withdrawn sufficiently to permit the discharge in desirable quantities.
It will be obvious that plugs or sleeves differing in construction may be sub-
stituted to produce substantially the same result, and I therefore do not wish to
limit myself to the construction of this particular device, as changes may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is: -
1. The combination of a hopper provided with a bottom discharge opening,
a water supply, and a lead therefrom terminating in a nozzle vertically adjustable
with relation to the discharge.
2. The combination of a hopper provided with a lower tapered discharge open-
ing, a water supply pipe terminating in a nozzle, vertically adjustable with respect
to the discharge opening, and a conical plug adjustable upon the nozzle.
3. The combination with one or more concentrators, of one or more settling
tanks and means for conveying the material from the settling tanks to the con-
centrators in regulated quantities, substantially as described.
4. The combination with one or more concentrators, of one or more settling
tanks, a distributor interposed between the settling tanks and the concentrators,
conveyers from the settling tanks to the distributors and means for conveying
material from the distributor to the concentrators in regulated quantities, sub-
stantially as described.
5. Ore feeders substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Total this 91
1000