Improvements in Machinery for Centrifugally Treating Particles of Metallic or Mineral Bearing Substances of Different Degrees of Specific Gravity.
Year: 1891

page_text: te of Application, 13th Jan., 1891--Accepted, 11th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Centrifugally Treating Particles of
Metallic or Mineral Bearing Substances of Different Degrees of
Specific Gravity.
I, ORRIN BURTON PECK, Mining Engineer, of 162 Thirty Fourth Street,
Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide machinery in which the speed of the
revoluble vessel, receiving the particles of metallic or mineral bearing substances of
different degrees of specific gravity to be subjected to the action of centrifugal
force, may be gradually decreased from a high to a diminished rate of rotation from
the commencement to the end of the operation; and my invention consists in the
features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved machine ;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken in the line 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction
of the arrow;
and
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the revolving vessel in which the matter is treated;
Fig. 4 is a detail of a nut hereinafter described.
In subjecting fine or powdery particles to the action of centrifugal force in a
revoluble vessel, I have found that the particles assume a position more nearly or
more remotely approaching a vertical line against the sides of the vessel, nearly in
proportion to the amount of centrifugal force developed and speed at which the
vessel in which they are treated is rotated. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, the lines
diverging from the top to the bottom of the vessel will illustrate the position and
quantity of material in the vessel at different rates of rotation. When the vessel is
rotated at a very high speed, the particles introduced will be thrown to the sides
and assume a nearly vertical position, forming a nearly vertical wall, or thin layer,
so a comparatively small quantity will be retained in the vessel, and as new
particles are introduced, they will be forced against and up across the surface of
this wall or layer, and be discharged from the top of the vessel and lost. If,
however, the speed of rotation of the revoluble vessel be great when the material
begins to be introduced, and gradually diminished throughout the operation, the
heavier particles of the material will gradually lodge and accumulate on the surface
of the wall or layer of material already accumulated, and will be retained in the
vessel while the lighter particles are passing, or being forced across the surface of
such already accumulated wall or layer, to be discharged from the top of the vessel.
In this way, a gradually accumulated mass of material is formed, inclining.toward
the top, as illustrated in one side of the vessel shown in Fig. 3.
To secure this gradual and constant diminution of speed in the rotation of the
receiving vessel from the commencement to the end of the operation, I mount the
vessel A on a revolving shaft B adapted to support and rotate it. The shaft B is
rotated by the belt C, driven by a pulley on the power shaft D. This shaft is
shown in the drawings as practically an extension of the crank shaft of the engine,
although it may be any shaft appropriately arranged to serve the purpose of
transmitting the motive power. Mounted on this shaft I arrange a taper sheeve or
pulley E, and in proper location to it I arrange another taper pulley F on a shaft
connected by a belt g on a pulley G with the governor of the engine. The two
taper pulleys are connected together by belt e, or by any other well known and

page_text: appropriate means. The shaft carrying the pulley F is provided with a pinion at
one end connecting the trains of gear wheels and the threaded screw H. A lever J
is fulcrumed on any suitable support and provided at one end, through suitable link
connections, with a nut L, and at the other with a belt guide K. This belt guide
suitably embraces the belt e, so as to move the same up or down by the action of
the lever J. As the power of the engine N is applied and the revolving vessel A
rotates, the pulley E on the shaft D is also rotated and drives the belt e, connecting
it with the pulley F. This belt, at the commencement of the operation, is intended
to be arranged at the smallest end of the taper pulley E and at the largest end of
the taper pulley F. As it rotates the taper pulley F, the train of gear wheels are
set in operation, and the threaded rod I rotated. The gear wheels are so arranged
that this rod will be rotated very slowly. As it rotates, it carries. the nut L.
upward, lifting the end of the lever to which it is, connected by links, and .corre-
spondingly depressing the other end of the lever with the belt guide K.... This, of
course carries the belt e down with it, so that it gradually passes from the larger to
the smaller end of the taper pulley F. As it moves toward the smaller end of this
pulley, and toward the larger end of the pulley E, it is of course rotated at a
higher rate of speed. This causes the belt g, connecting with the pulley of the
governor, to travel more rapidly and to drive the governor at a greater speed.
its speed increases, it gradually diminishes or stops the quantity of steam admitted
to the cylinder, so that the speed of the engine, and consequently the speed of the
receiving vessel A, are gradually diminished, so that, at the end of the operation,
or during the time which it has taken for the belt e to, travel from one end of the
pulleys E and F to the other, which may occupy an hour in time, the receiving
vessel is rotating at .a greatly diminished rate of speed. In this way, the, heavier
and more valuable particles of the material have been permitted to gradually
accumulate in the vessel, as above described, instead of being thrown off and lost,
as would be the case if the vessel were rotated at a uniform rate of speed.
As
After the nut L has gradually passed from one end of the threaded rod I to, the
other, it is of course desirable to return it to its initial point in preparation for
another operation. This may be done while the vessel is being emptied, if desired,
so that no loss of time need occur. To facilitate this return of the nut L to its
original position, I make it in two parts and ¹. These parts are held together
preferably by a U spring L', which may be sprung apart a sufficient distance to
disengage its screw threads from the screw threads of the rod I. This will enable
it to slide down to its initial position, when the spring is allowed to bring the parts
together again to once more engage the threads of the rod I. To facilitate the
opening of the parts from each other, I have provided the nut, with an extension or
hand piece M, which may be grasped to pull the pieces apart.
As I intend in this application to claim broadly a revoluble vessel adapted to be
rotated at a gradually decreasing rate of speed from a high to a diminished speed
of rotation, and means for accomplishing such diminishing speed of rotation; I wish
to say that I do not intend to confine myself to the details of construction which I
have shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my. said
invention, and in what manner the same is performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In machinery for centrifugally treating and separating particles of metallic
or mineral bearing substances, the combination of a revoluble vessel, means for
rotating such vessel, and means for gradually and automatically decreasing its
speed of rotation from the commencement to the end of the operation, substantially
as described.
2. In machinery for centrifugally treating and separating particles of metallic
or mineral bearing substances, the combination of a revoluble vessel, an engine
generating and supplying power for the rotation of such vessel, means for trans-
mitting and applying such power, and meaus for gradually and automatically

page_text: decreasing the speed of the engine and thereby the speed of rotation of the
revoluble vessel from the commencement to the end of the operation, substantially
as described.
Dated this 13th day of January 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.