Ore Concentrator.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by THE MCGLEW ORE CONCENTRATOR CO., of
No. 116 Davis Street, in the City and County of San Francisco, State of
California, one of the United States of America, a corporation duly
incorporated under the laws of the State of California.]
Ore Concentrator.
I, VICTOR ISIDORE FEENY of 60 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates especially to an apparatus for the, concentration and
saving of gold sulphurets, and other valuable heavy metals and particles and it
consists essentially of a table, a means for supporting the table upon a stationary
base so that it has a universal horizontal movement thereon, an endless travelling
belt passing around drums or rollers at opposite ends of the movable table, means
for oscillating the table longitudinally and from side to side, and means for
gradually advancing the belt in the direction of its length.
It also comprises mechanism for raising and lowering the end of the table so as
to regulate the incline or grade of the belt to the character of work which is being
performed, and means for distributing the pulverized ore pulp or material upon the
belt with a sufficient water supply to separate the gangue from the valuable heavy
portions, the lighter material being carried off over the lower end of the belt while
the heavier is carried up and delivered over the upper end where it may be
collected.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings upon which:-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of the concentrator.
Figure 2, is a longitudinal section through the framework and
Figure 3, is a lateral section through the front drum and connections.
A is the base or bed which is made of any suitable material and is permanently
fixed. Upon this base is supported a frame B, one end of which is designed to be
normally higher than the other.
The lower end is here shown as supported upon adjusting racks T, while the
upper end is hinged at B¹ to an elevated portion D fixed above the frame A.
This frame B bas supported upon it concave metallic cups b. Within these cups
O are placed balls 62, and the surfaces of the interior of the cups are large enough
to allow the balls to roll about freely in every direction without escaping from
the cups.
C is another frame which may be made of angle iron or other suitable material,
and this frame has fixed to the lower portion cups e corresponding with those shown
5 at 6 and situated just above them so that the cups c. rest upon the tops of the
balls b 2.
This allows the frame C and its appurtenances to be given a motion in every
direction in the plane in which it lies."
At opposite ends of the frame C, the rollers or drums E are journaled transversely,
10 and around these rollers an endless canvas belt F is fitted.
The ends of the rollers are turned down to a smaller diameter than the central
portion, and these reduced ends are concaved as shewn at e.
Upon the edges of the belt are formed cylindrical ribs F1, and these rib
.

page_text: projecting above and below the edges of the belts, form sides which project above
the upper surfaces so as to prevent the pulp from flowing over the edges of
the belt.
The portions. which project below the edges of the belts, fit the concaved reduced
ends e of the rollers, so that the surface of the belt itself will travel upon the
straight central portion of the roller, and these side ribs will keep the belt in
position, preventing it from moving from one side to the other as it travels over
the rollers.
As the belt is of considerable length, it is necessary to prevent its sagging
between the end drums or rollers, and it is supported between these points
by as many transverse rollers G as may be necessary to keep it approximately
horizontal.
Above the belt, near the upper end, is supported a transverse trough H into
which the pulp is first delivered, with any desirable amount of water to give it the
proper consistency.
Discharge holes or slits extend along the bottom of the trough, and serve for
the delivery of the pulp upon the belt below.
Within the trough is a shaft extending from end to end having wings or agitators
projecting from it, and upon the outer end of the shaft is a pulley or other
device H by which it may be rotated so that the agitators keep the pulp constantly
stirred and insure its regular discharge upon the belt.
A shaft I extends longitudinally and centrally between the frames or tables B
and C, and is journaled in boxes mounted upon the lower frame B..
At the upper end of the base A and upon the standard or support D to which
the frame B is hinged, is journaled a shaft J upon which is fixed a driving
pulley K.
The end of this shaft is connected with the end of the shaft I by a universal
joint as shown at L.
This joint allows the shaft I to be tilted, and its axial direction changed with
reference to the driving shaft J when the angle of the superposed structure and the
travelling belt is changed, so that motion may be communicated from the shaft J
to the shaft I at whatever angle the latter may stand.
Upon this shaft I are fixed cams M, and from the frame C lugs N project
downwardly upon opposite sides of the eccentrics or cams, so that as the latter
revolve they alternately move the frame C from side to side with a shaking motion
which is also imparted to the belt which is carried upon the frame.
In order to produce a longitudinal shaking motion of the table C at the same
time, a cam O is fixed upon the shaft I so as to engage a corresponding fixed arm
or lug O¹ upon the upper end of the frame C.
As the shaft E is revolved, the rotation of the cam O will serve to force the
frame C away from the upper end, and when the cam passes the stop the table will
be returned by the action of a spring P which presses against the lower end..
This spring may be of any suitable form, either spiral, or a leaf spring which is
here shown and its tension is adjusted by means of a screw P¹ passing through a
fixed bar or yoke at the lower end of the frame B so that the screw presses against
the central portion of the spring.
#
Upon the frame or standards in which the driving shaft J is journaled, or upon
any suitable stationary head block at this point are fixed buffers Q against which
the end of the frame C strikes when it is released by the cam, and this longitudinal
motion and abrupt stop, taken in conjunction with the side shaking movements of
the belt serves to distribute the material thoroughly upon the belt, and to also
gradually separate the heavier particles from the finer ones and advance them
toward the upper and delivery end of the belt.
The buffers are preferably made of rubber, and in order to relieve any friction
arising from the combined side and end shaking motion when the table strikes the
buffers, I have shown a transversely sliding bar or frame R to which the buffers
are secured,.

page_text: This frame has slides or rollers upon which it is movable easily from side to side,
so that when the abrupt end stroke takes place, this transverse movement of the
buffers will relieve any friction arising from the continuous side shake which the
table receives from the cams upon the longitudinal shaft I.
In order to raise or depress the lower end of the framework carrying the belt,
and thus change the angle of inclination of the latter, a shaft is journaled across
the lower end of the frame and carries upon its ends pinions S.
These piuions engage vertical racks T and when they are rotated, they may be.
made to advance either up or down these racks.
This advance is effected by means of a lever or equivalent operating device U,.
and a pawl and ratchet mechanism V by which the shaft is rotated intermittently
and the frame raised to the desired elevation, the pawls and ratchets retaining it at
the required point.
In order to advance the belt so as to gradually carry the separated sulphurets
and heavy particles over its upper end, I have shown a bevel-gear W fixed upon
the shaft I and engaging a corresponding bevel gear W', the shaft of which is
journaled upon the frame B.
By means of suitable belts and intermediate pulleys a a', as shown in, the
drawings, or by equivalent connecting mechanism, motion from the driving shaft is
transmitted to one of the drums or pulleys E about which the endless belt passes,
and by the rotation of this drum the belt is gradually advanced.
As the belt is gradually advanced toward the upper end, it carries the heavier
valuable portions upward and over the upper drum around which the belt passes.
Above this portion of the belt are situated two transverse water-boxes f f¹
which are supplied by pipes 9 having suitable regulating cocks.
These water-boxes have perforations or discharge openings to deliver water upon
the slowly travelling belt F, and they are suspended from suitable longitudinal
rods so that they may be moved above the belt as may be desired.
The water discharge upon the belt, from the water trough f, keeps the pulp and
material in a sufficiently liquid condition, and makes the dividing line between the
gangue and the sulfurets, and separates the lighter worthless portion from the heavy
and valuable part, the former passing down over the lower end of the belt, while
the valuable portions pass over the upper end, as above stated. The trough fl
supplies water to wash the sulphurets off over the upper roller.
The lower portion of the belt at this point passing around beneath its roller or
drum E, dips into a shallow concave receptacle which receives the water, and the
sulphurets and heavy substances.
This trough his lowest in the center so that the sulphurets will be carried from
the ends towards the center, and discharged through suitable openings or passages
into a delivery chute beneath, which will carry them to any desired point away
from the machine.
The lower portion of the belt F passes over a roller i, the journal pins at the end
of which are fitted to turn in boxes or supports as shown at k so that the roller may
be raised and the belt F given au angle which will carry it clear of the edge of the
receptacle h.
The proper tension of the belt is maintained by means of an adjusting mechanism
which consists of bars m in which the journals of the roller E at the lower end
urn. These bars are slidable upon the rear part of the frame C, and screws n
pass through the turned down ends of the bars and press against the frame C so
hat by turning them, the roller E will be moved to give the belt F the desired
ension.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
on, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
laim is :-
1. A concentrating apparatus, comprising an endless travelling belt, a frame-
ork having drums or rollers journalled at onnosite ende around which

page_text: passes, flexible cylindrical ribs formed upon the edges of the belt, concaved
reduced ends upon the rollers, upon which the flexible ribs travel, and by which
the belt is kept in place upon the rollers, a stationary base and intermediate.
hinged adjustable. supporting frame upon which the belt carrying roller frame is
supported, concaved opposing cups fixed upon the adjacent parts of the two
frames, balls resting in the lower-most cups and supporting the upper ones,
and a mechanism by which both side and end shake of the belt and its frame
are effected and a constant gradual advance of the belt around the rollers.
2. A concentrator consisting of a stationary base, an intermediate frame having
one end hinged, and the other provided with a mechanism whereby it may be
raised or depressed to vary its angle with relation to the horizontal, a superposed
roller-carrying frame with opposing cups, and balls fitting the cups and upon
which it is supported on the intermediate frame so as to be allowed a universal
movement in its plane of support, an endless travelling belt passing around the
drums or rollers at the ends of the frame and intermediate rollers of small
diameter upon which the upper portion of the belt is supported at intervals, a
roller adjustable from below adapted to press against the lower portion of the belt,
and a tension regulating device, ribs upon the sides of the belt fitting corresponding
reduced concaved ends of the carrying drums, a pulp distributing trough and water
distributers situated above the belt so as to deliver upon its surface a driving shaft
and cams thereon whereby the belt carrying frame is given a simultaneous trans-
verse and longitudinal oscillation or shake, bumpers mounted upon a transversely
slidable bar, a spring pressing against the lower end of the roller carrying table
whereby the latter is caused to strike the bumpers abruptly when released by the
longitudinally acting cam, a mechanism connected with the driving shaft whereby
the belt is slowly advanced from the lower toward the upper roller in which the
concentrators are removed from the belt roller and from which they are discharged
and collected.
Dated this Twenty-first day of February 1806