IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hunt, of Porthlevan, in the County of Corn-
wall, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF
MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES."
Sealed the 24th August 1866, and dated the 8th March 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
March 1866.
I, JOHN HUNT, of Porthlevan, in the County of Cornwall, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
ARRANGEMENTS OF MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention comprises certain improvements in the arrangements of the
mechanism for washing and separating ores, which are the subject matter of
my Letters Patent dated 16th July 1852 (No. 14,226, Old Law).
My present improvements consist in the following matters, that is to say,
whereas my Invention as already patented comprises a "forcing box" for
forcing water or other liquid, and a washing chamber into which the water is
forced by means of the said "forcing box," and a compartment by which the

page_text: water is supplied to the " forcing box," thence to the washing chamber, and
through a sieve or separating plate.
Now my present improvements having for object the more effectual
separation of ores of all kinds, as well as all mineral or other matters from
the matrix, and from each other when differing sufficiently in specific gravities,
I adopt the following improved arrangements of the mechanism, namely,
the said washing chamber in which the ore is washed and separated I divide
into two or moro divisions to be supplied with water by suitable passages for
that purposo proceeding from the forcing box or boxes. The size of these
passages to be proportioned to the quantity of water required in each division.
I should consider it preferable to construct the forcing box and the chamber
in which it works of a length proportioned to that of the washing chambers
with the view to afford as far as may be an even distribution of the pressuro
of the water against tho bottom of the perforated plato or sievo aforesaid,
whereon the oro to be operated upon is supplied.
To prevent, as regards the water passages above mentioned, the backward
action of the water, and to ensure the suspension of the orey matter on the
perforated plate or sieve, I use the arrangements for supplying the water or
otherwise which are set forth in the Specification of my former Patent afore-
said, and thus as the ore passes from the hopper or feeder to the discharging
point of the machine it is separated and deposited in its division of the
washing chamber according to its specific gravity, from which it can be
removed by the doorway or aperture provided for that division. To that
portion of the perforated plate or sieve nearest the hopper at the length of the
first division of the washing chamber I use a piece of thin iron, or such like
material, placed across the sieve or plate so as to form a low partition, which
thus divides the bottoms of ores placed on the sieve or plate (the height of
such bottoms to be a little less than the height of the partition aforesaid);
the ores forming the "bottom" too largo to pass through the sieve or per-
forated plate will to a great extent prevent anything but clean ore passing
through, and the same will apply to ores of less specific gravity, care being
taken that the ore which forms the bottom for each division be not of greater
specific gravity than that which it is desired should pass through the plate or
sieve into the receiving division below.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE: PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HUNT, of Porthleven, in the County of Cornwall, Gentleman, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand-eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Hunt, Her special licence that I,, the said John. Hunt, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hunt, my executors, administrators, and assigns,. should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter 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, an Invention for "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS
OF MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Hunt,.my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW 'YE, that I, the said John Hunt, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed; to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention comprises certain improvements in the arrangements of the
mechanism for washing and separating ores which are the subject' matter of
my Letters Patent dated 16th July 1852 (No. 14,226, Old Law).
According to my Invention as already patented as aforesaid, I have a
"forcing box" for forcing water or other liquid, and a "washing chamber "
into which the water is forced by means of the said "forcing box," and a
compartment by which the water is supplied to tho "forcing box," thence to
the "washing chamber" and through a sieve or separating plate.
Now my present improvement having for object the more effectual separa-
tion of ores of all kinds as well as all other mineral matter from the matrix

page_text: or
and from each other when differing sufficiently in specific gravities, I adopt
the following improved arrangements of the mechanism, namely, the said
"washing chamber" in which the ore is washed and separated I divide into
two or more divisions. Each of such divisions is to be supplied with water by
suitable passages for that purpose proceeding from the "forcing box"
boxes aforesaid. The sizo of the said passages is to be proportioned to the
quantity of water required in each division. I should consider it preferable to
construct the "forcing box" and the chamber in which it works of a length
proportioned to that of the washing chambers, with the view to afford as far
as may be an even distribution of the pressure of the water against the bottom
of the perforated plate or sieve aforesaid, whereon the ore to be operated upon
is supplied.
To prevent (as regards the water passages above mentioned) the backward
action of the water, and to insure the suspension of the orey matter on the
perforated plate or sieve, I use the arrangements for supplying the water and
otherwise which are set forth in the Specification of my former Patent herein-
before referred to, and thus as the ore passes from the hopper or feeder to
the discharging point of the machine it is separated and deposited in its
division of the washing chamber according to its specific gravity, from which
it can be removed by the doorway or aperture provided for that division. At
that portion of the perforated plate or sieve nearest the hopper at the length
of the first division of the washing chamber I place across the sieve or plate a
piece of thin iron or other such like material so as to form a low partition,
which thus divides the bottoms of ores placed on the sieve or plate (the height
of such bottoms to be a little less than the height of the partition aforesaid);
the ores forming the bottom being too large to pass through the sievo or
perforated plate will to a great extent prevent anything but clean oro passing
through, and the samo will apply to the ores of less specific gravity, care
being taken that the ore which forms the bottom for each division be not of
a greater specific gravity than that which it is desired should pass through the
plate or sieve into the receiving division below.
'I would here remark that although not indispensable to the use of my new
improved arrangements, yet for the more efficient working thereof, I find it
preferable to use a grating hereafter particularly described, placed at the
bottom of the supply hopper, being thus interposed between the hopper and
the perforated plate or sieve aforesaid, And also to use a piece of fine canvas
cloth, or silk, or similar fabric placed in the upper part of the sieve, resting
on the surface of the water with the object of preventing the floating off o
fine mineral matter; likewise I would provide a small window of thick glass

page_text: ereafter particularly described, in order to allow of its being readily ascertained
when the washing chambers are sufficienly full for good working.
7
DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWINGS.
"
Fig. 1, vertical sectional view of tho whole system of mechanism of forcing
ind washing chambers; Fig. 2, vertical sectional view of the washing
chambers, showing the water passages and doorway; Fig. 3, general plan
view; Fig. 4, horizontal section of the washing chambers and perforated
plate or sieve shown at Fig. 2; Fig. 5, vertical section of the forcing box,
showing how water is supplied to the valve.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, detail views of various parts hereafter particularly
described.
In all these Figures wherever the following letters of reference appear on
the Drawings they each denote the same part as at any other Figure at
which the saine appears.
A denotes the washing chambers, and A* denotes the partition or division
separating one washing chamber or compartment from another, such division
or partition proceeding from the bottom of the washing chambers to imme-
diately beneath the bottom of the sieve or perforated plate, immediately
above which on the perforated plate or sieve is the low thin partition "A³
mentioned in the outset of this Specification. B denotes the perforated plate
or sieve on which the ore is received from the hopper; C, the grating at the
bottom of the hopper through which the ore passes on to the perforated plate
or sieve aforesaid; D, the hopper for supplying the ore or oréy matter to be
treated; D*, a slide in the. hopper to regulate the supply; E, water guides
for preventing the water rushing direct to that part of the sieve nearest to
the forcing box; F, the water passage from the forcing box to the wasbing
chambers; G, the valve through which the water passes to the under part
of the forcing box; H, I, denotes the system of levers (shewn) for giving
the requisite motion to the forcing box; J the fly wheel to which is fixed a
guide slot in which is a sliding pin K (for separate view see Fig. 6), such
pin being thus adjustable and striking. or acting on the end of the system of
levers (I) at. This pin (K) is also supported in a guide K* (shewn at
Fig. 3), fixed to the axle of the fly wheel; Q, a piece of wood placed across
the frame to catch the end of the lever drawn down by the iron weight R;
L, framing carrying the mechanism aforesaid; M, the point of discharge from
the sieve or perforated plate; N, sliding partition or door, by removing which
water will pass into a separate division and remain stored, so that the same
water can be used over again where economy of water is a desideratum, but

page_text: in such case the refuse must be scraped off and not allowed to escape with
the water; O, doorways through which the ore is removed from the washing
compartments; P, the window for the purpose of ascertaining when the
machine is full. The dotted lines marked Fig. 1* and Fig. 3* shew portions
of boxes or cases sunk in the earth or below the doorways O aforesaid, having
divisions corresponding to and sufficiently large to contain the contents of
each compartment of the washing machine. Although the Drawings shew
the mechanism as provided with a handle for working, it is obvious that
it might be worked by connection with a steam engine or water power or
otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,. I hereby declare
that. I claim the said Invention of "Improved Arrangements of Mechanism
for Washing and Separating Ores," being further improvements upon the
Invention patented by me on 16th July 1852 (No. 14,226 Old Law), the
Specification of which Letters Patent may be referred to for the more ready
understanding of my present improvements; such my present Invention being
described in the outset of this Specification in the words preceding the words
"Description of the Drawings," I do not however claim the mechanical
arrangements herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings as
taken (per se) or apart from the objects and purposes of my said Invention
as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hunt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Signed and sealed in the
presence of
JAMES W. HUNT.
JOHN HUNT. (L.s.)