Improvements in Ore Separating or Sorting Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ore Separating or Sorting Apparatus.
A communication by WILHELM KRUG, of Altenberg, near Littfeld, Westphalia,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6. Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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:-
This invention has for its object a flat sorting or separating table ranged in
tiers, which constantly receives every kind of ore sludge or ore mud, separates its
constituents according to purity or gravity, and, finally, discharges the separated
For these reasons,
substance direct, or again takes it up for further treatment.
the sorting table may be employed either in a single or double series according to
the kind of ore sludge to be treated.
This sorting table consists of several separate sorting surfaces which are arranged
in a framework, and which surfaces may be composed of bands, travelling over
rollers, of suitable width and material, suspended in suitable frames and arranged
either in one or more rows placed one above the other step fashion.
In all cases only one of these superimposed step like sorting surfaces receives
directly a sideways shaking motion from the driving axle, which, by means of
suitable devices, is conveyed from surface to surface in succession, so that the ore
lying on the bands is separated according to its weight, whilst the bands themselves
make a continuous forward motion and allow the material thus separated to fall
into a channel situated at the side, from whence it passes into suitable boxes or is
conveyed to another separating surface if a further treatment be found to be
necessary.
Two forms of construction of this sorting or separating apparatus are shown on
the accompanying drawings.
The construction of a single apparatus is shown in Figure 1 in front view,
partially in section ;
Figure 2 in cross section; and
Figure 3 is the plan of the same.
Figure 4 is the front view of a double form of sorting table, and
Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4.
The separating table arranged in tiers, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, consists of
three adjacent and superimposed sorting surfaces 2, 3 and 4, inserted in a staging,
which surfaces are composed of endless bands of linoleum, india rubber or other
suitable material of a suitable width carried over rollers 5 and 6, which bands
make a continuous forward movement in the direction shown by the arrow.
motion is conveyed to the separate sorting surfaces 2, 3 and 4, from the main shaft
or the subsidiary shafts by means of belt or chain pulleys, and may be made constant
by using plain pulleys, or variable by using conical pulleys.
This
The cross supports 91 are arranged in the framework of each sorting surface for
supporting the conveying band of each table 2, 3, 4, between its guide rollers 5
and 6, over which supports a number of thin strips 93 of zinc, or other suitable
material, are stretched. Instead of this arrangement, a number of little rollers or
any other suitable supporting arrangement may be employed. The rollers with
their sorting surfaces rest in rectangular frames 9 from which the frames of one
sorting table are directly suspended, and the frames of the others by means of
cross bars and hanging irons 11, to the staging 1, so as to be freely and easily

page_text: This
movable. The table 2 receives a shaking vibrating motion in a longitudina
direction, by means of a third shaft 13, actuated by means of conical gearing 15
by the shaft 8, through the projecting cams 14 on the same, the lever 15 and the
bolt 16 which is fitted with a spiral spring, which motion is transferred to sorting
surfaces 3 and 4 lying beneath, by means of the bars 17 and 18 attached to the
frame 9 and the bolts 19 and 20 which are also provided with springs.
shaking motion becomes to a certain extent slower through the action of the spring
bolts from one sorting surface to the following one, but, on the other hand, the
recoil of each table is accentuated. As the bolts 16, 19 and 20 are further provided
with screw nuts, the shock conveyed by the lever 15 may be altered as required.
In the same way, as the various suspending irons 11 of the sorting surfaces are
provided with screw nuts, the inclination of each sorting surface towards the side
may be adjusted as may be desired, and very exactly.
Further, a double row of feed tables 21 is placed at one side of each sorting
surface, and above its edge, which, suitably attached to the frame of the sorting
surface, distributes the material intended for each surface, and which is to be
sorted, equally to the same. Such a feed table consists of an edged wooden or
other plate of triangular or rectangular form, which is provided with several rows
of movable and angular wooden bars, which form, as a whole, an angle, in such a
way that the stream of mud reaching the plate from one side is broken up by these
bars, and diffracted, and slowly diverted in the form of a shallow stream on to the
corting surface.
In a similar way, above each sorting surface, a pipe 22, bent to an angle and
perforated on one side, is suitably placed, which is connected with a water main,
or water reservoir, and which assists both the separating process in the mass of the
particles of sludge, as well as washes away the particles of the mass remaining
adherent to the sorting surfaces. The perforation of the part of each of the
tubes 22, which is vertical to the direction of the sorting surface, is made greater
than the part which lies parallel to the surface of the sorting table, in order thereby
to produce a varied strong stirring action on the separate parts of the sorting
surface. The gutter 23, arranged on each sorting table frame and consisting of
the compartments a b c, Figure 3A, carries off in its compartments the ore separated
from the sorting surfaces by the action of the sluice 22 and brings it into the
boxes, or, if a second treatment should be found necessary, to another sorting
surface. Inclined plates 55 serve for conveying the material from the sorting
surfaces to the gutter 23. The hopper 24, arranged at the side of the frame 1,
receives the ore sludge, or ore mud, which is to be separated on the shaking
surfaces. Any kinds of ore sludges, or muds, are eligible for treatment.
-
The mode of working of the apparatus (say for lead ore) is as follows:-
The ore sludge placed in the hopper 24 passes through a tube 25, and from the
wash table 21 in a divided condition on to the uppermost sorting surface 2, flows
in the direction of the arrow slowly down over the inclined surface and immediately
undergoes, by means of the shocks imparted to the sorting surface at short intervals
by means of the lever 15, a separation by which the lighter particles (blend and
gangue) are thrown off more strongly than the heavier ones (lead slick); the
heavier particles therefore settle down on the surface of the separator. As,
however, the separating surface makes a continuous slow forward movement
together with the ore lying thereon, whilst undergoing simultaneously a shock from
the side, the water flowing out of the part of the pipe 22 which lies parallel to
the direction of the sorting plate, washes the lighter particles, which have remained
adherent, sideways into the gutter 23, whilst the heavier, and more firmly adhering,
particles of the ore (lead slick) are sluiced away by the more powerfully acting
streams of water, which flow out of the parts of the tube 22, lying diagonally to
the sorting surfaces.
The result obtained on the first separating surface is therefore as follows:-
1) The part of the separating surface which is washed by the diagonal parts of
the sluice tube 22 delivers finished, that is to say, pure material (lead slick) into

page_text: the compartment a of the gutter 23, Figure 3, from whence the material is conveyed
by the pipe 26 into the so called lower vat 27.
2) The middle part of the separating surface which is washed by the parts of
the sluice tube, 22, which lie parallel to the separating surface, delivers a so called
intermediate product (lead slick and blend) into the middle part of the gutter 23,
from whence it is conveyed into the collecting vessel 28, in order to be carried
from thence, by means of the pipe 29, to the separating surface 3, for further
treatment.
3) The part of the separating surface which conveys to the compartment c, of
the gutter 23, the lightest particles of the sludge, (gangue mixed with some blend
and light lead ore), discharges these particles by means of a pipe 30 into the
collecting vat 31, from whence they are again transferred to the separating surface 4,
by means of the pipe 32 and feed table 21.
The intermediate product treated on surface 3 yields lead slick and blend; the
former is conveyed by means of a pipe 33 to the lower vat 27, whilst the latter, by
means of tube 34, into a second under vat 35. The remaining material, consisting
of blend and gangue, flows into the collecting vessel 31 and is finished on the
surface 4. On this surface 4, a small quantity of lead slick and blend is still
obtained, and the greater part passes away as pure gangue.
By such an arrangement of the sorting apparatus, it is possible to place a large
quantity of ore sludge on the first separating surface 2, because any particles of ore
or blend, carried away from thence in the sludge by the strong current, may be
recovered by its direct subsequent delivery on to the sorting surfaces 3 or 4. Such
an apparatus delivers in all parts, from the sludge fed in, a finished product, and
the time consuming repetition of the treatment of the intermediate product, and
gangue, is entirely dispensed with.
The ore separating machine arranged in tiers, shown in Figures 4 and 5, differs
from that shown in Figures 1 to 3 inasmuch as, in this case, two separating tables
are arranged in one group, side by side, in a frame, and each separate group of
separators consists also of three superimposed sorting surfaces 2, 3, 4, or 21, 31
and 4' arranged stepwise.
Figure 4 is a front view; and
Figure 5 a plan of the same.
Similar parts are indicated by similar numbers.
Each separating surface, in this case also, rests by means of the axle of its guide
rollers 5 and 6 in a frame 9, suspended in the framework 1, by means of hanging
ions 11, which frame is movable and easily adjustable. All the separating surfaces
are further actuated from the main driving shaft 7, or the subsidiary shafts 8, by
means of belt pulleys or chain gearing, and, at the same time, the arrangement is
so made that the various six separating surfaces receive their sideways shaking
motion alternately from a common upright spindle 36, by which arrangement a not
inconsiderable saving of power results, and little room is occupied by the six
separating surfaces. This spindle, which receives its motion from the main
shaft 7, by means of the conical gearing 37, shaft 57 and conical gearing 58, has,
at suitable places, the cams 38, 39 and 40, which impart to the separators a side-
ways vibrating motion. This shaking motion is a direct one for the two upper
separating surfaces, and not a spring one, but may, however, he regulated by
making the cams 41, Figure 4^, provided for the frame 9, which produce the
shaking, larger or smaller as may be required. The sideways shaking motion of
the four lower separating surfaces is, on the contrary, a spring one, and may equally
be adjusted by arranging the springs 42, which are adapted between the frames 9,
and the shaking bolts 45, resting in the sleeve 43 of a pedestal 44, so that they
may be more or less compressed by means of screw nuts, in order to thus render it
possible to regulate the shaking motion.
The inclination of the separate sorting surfaces may also be regulated by
loosening or tightening the screw nuts situated on the hanging iron 11 of the
frames 9.

page_text: The mode of working of the double separating tables is as follows:-
The ore sludge flowing simultaneously from the hoppers 46 and 47, on to the two
upper separating surfaces 2 and 2¹, and out of the hoppers 46' and 47' simultaneously
on to the two next separating surfaces 3 and 4, which are divided by means of the
feed table 21, fitted to each separator, is, in consequence of the sideways shaking
motion, separated precisely as in the single separator.
The lead slick produced on the four separating surfaces is washed over the
inclined plate 55, into the gutter 23, by means of the part of the water pipe 22
which lies diagonally to the separating surfaces, and is conducted into a so
called under vat, by means of the openings a or a', in the gutters 23 or 23¹.
The resulting intermediate product is conveyed direct from the separating
surfaces 3 and 3 over the plate 55 into the second compartment of the gutter 23
or 231, into which there passes simultaneously, by means of the pipes 48 and 48¹,
the intermediate product of the two upper separating surfaces 2 and 21, from
whence the same flows away together through the common pipes 49 and 49' into
the hopper 50, in order from here to be conveyed through a pipe 51 to the
separating surface 4, and to be again treated, the result of which is to obtain some
pure slick and blend.
As, with a somewhat considerable supply of sludge on to the four upper separating
surfaces, pure gangue is never obtained, but the latter is always mixed with over-
flowed sludge, the overflow of the sludge from the four upper separating surfaces,
together with the gangue, is allowed to pass into the third compartment of
the gutter 23 or 231, and from thence, by means of the pipes 52 or 52', into the
hopper 53, from whence it is then conveyed, by means of the pipe 54, to the
separating surface 4, and undergoes a further treatment.
In this case also some
slick is obtained, as well as blend, and gangue or so called rock.
In order to expose the constituents of the ore sludge in as thin and even a layer
as possible to the water sluice 22, a brush 56, Figure 5, may further be arranged
so as to lie close over the surface of each separator.
The double form of shaking table may also be applied to each two, or each one,
separating surface, which does not affect in any way the essential point of this
invention.
The treatment of the ore sludge takes place always in the same manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An apparatus for separating or sorting ores, the separate tiers of which
consist of a slightly inclined hanging frame (9), with a conveying belt running over
rollers, and which parts are so operated that the uppermost separating surface
receives a vibrating motion in a longitudinal direction, by means of a lever (15)
and cams (14) suitably actuated, such motion being transferred to the remaining
separating surfaces by means of bars (17 and 18) attached to the aforesaid frames,
and springs and bolts (19 and 20), substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown.
2. The combination of the hanging frames such as described in Claim 1, with
gutters (23) placed at their sides and consisting of three compartments, for the
purpose of receiving the solid material separated from the then present sludge.
3. Supporting the conveying belt of the separator described in Claim 1 between
its rollers 5 and 6, by providing cross-bars 9' on the frames 9 and then
stretching over these latter a number of thin strips 9 of zinc, or other suitable
material arranged longitudinally.
4. The combination of tiered vibrating separating or sorting apparatus, such as
described in Claim 1, in groups in a framework side by side in a such a way that
the superimposed separating surfaces arranged stepwise and in pairs are actuated
alternately from an upright spindle by means of cams (38, 39 and 40) and shaking
bolts (45) and springs (42), substantially as herein before described and shown.

page_text: 5. The combination of the shaking separator, described in Claim 1, with a feed
table 21, fed from a hopper through which the sludge is delivered at right angles
or approximately so to the longitudinal direction of the separator, together with the
water sluice 22 which washes the material, separated by means of the side shocks
during the continuous forward travelling of the separating surface, into a gutter
placed at the side, and divided into three compartments, in which the purest
product (the slick) collects in one end compartment of the gutter, the intermediate
product (lead and blend) in the middle compartment, and the gangue, or so called
rock, in the remaining end compartment, in order to be again conveyed to another
separating surface for further treatment.
Dated this 11th day of Anril 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.