An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Washing or Separating Ores.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left 24th Aug. 1889-Accented. 28th Sept.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Washing or Separating
Ores.
I, THOMAS RICKARD of 35 Queen Victoria Street, London in the County of
Middlesex, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the mechanical laveries for mineral ores, one of the most delicate operations is
that of the automatic classification of the sands finding their conveyance to the washing
apparatus, so that in the subsequent operation, the rich and heavy parts may be
separated without difficulty from the lighter and more sterile.
This operation of classifying is nearly always performed by trammels or perforated
cylinders for the coarser grains of 8 to 1 m.m. and with concentrating boxes for the
finer grains.
The first method requires a very cumbrous apparatus, involving large repairs, whilst
the concentrating by boxes produces an imperfectly classified product; the slimes,
which unite the particles not having been properly separated from the grains, render
the work of washing difficult.
This system of classification also presents the inconvenience of a great loss of the
available waterfall and necessitates placing the washing apparatus quite close to the
classifying apparatus.
All these inconveniences disappear by distributing and classifying the grains and
sand by means of opposing currents of water within a closed conduit according to my
Invention.
In my improved system all the water proceeding from the gratings from which
grains above about 8 m.m. have been eliminated or even all the water carrying away
the sand grains produced by the action of the stamping mill is conveyed by a pipe or
closed conduit to the washing apparatus. This pipe is of a diameter proportional to
the quantity of water and to the size of the largest grains and in order to distribute
the sands to the apparatus themselves, a so-called "Hydro-classifier" is inserted into
this pipe at the point where the grains should be delivered on to the sieve-bed. This
Hydro-classifier is a vessel consisting of an outer casing within which is a double-
coned nozzle the upper end being open to the aforesaid pipe or conduit the lower end
terminating near the bottom of the vessel leaving an annular space between the
exterior of the nozzle and the interior of the vessel.
A second short nozzle is screwed into the bottom of the vessel and projects a short
distance into the lower end of the double coned nozzle. A clear water supply
pipe controlled by a regulating valve is connected to the above mentioned annular
space.
The clear water from the supply pipe passes through the annular space and part
escapes downward through the short nozzle while the other part rises through the
double coned nozzle to the closed conduit with a velocity which can be regulated by
adjusting the aforesaid valve.
The water carrying the sand and slime which runs through the horizontal conduit
discharges the solid matter it contains into the Hydro-classifier but the ascending
current of clear water carries the lighter grains back into the conduit and so separates
them from the heavier grains which escape with the descending current of clear water
through the short nozzle at the bottom of the vessel.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1889.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Washing or Separating
Ores.
:
I, THOMAS RICKARD, of 35 Queen Victoria Street, London 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 ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
In the mechanical laveries for mineral ores one of the most delicate operations is
that of the automatic classification of the sands pending their conveyance to the
washing apparatus so that in the subsequent operation the rich and heavy parts may
be separated without difficulty from the lighter and more sterile.
This operation of classifying is nearly always performed by trammels or perforated
cylinders for the coarser grains of 8 to 1 m.m. and with concentrating boxes for the
finer grains.
The first method requires a very cumbrous apparatus involving large repairs whilst
the concentrating by boxes produces an imperfectly classified product; the slimes
which unite the particles not having been properly separated from the grains render
the work of washing difficult.
This system of classification also presents the inconvenience of a great loss of the
available waterfall and necessitates placing the washing apparatus quite close to the
.classifying apparatus.
All these inconveniences disappear by distributing and classifying the grains and
sand by means of opposing currents of water within a closed conduit according to my
invention.
In my improved system all the water proceeding from the gratings from which
grains above about 8 m.m. have been eliminated or even all the water carrying away
the sand grains produced by the action of the stamping mill is conveyed by a pipe or
closed conduit to the washing apparatus. This pipe is of a diameter proportional to
the quantity of water and to the size of the largest grains and in order to distribute
the sands to the apparatus themselves a so-called "Hydro-classifier" is inserted into
this pipe at the point where the grains should be delivered on to the sieve-bed. This
Hydro-classifier is a vessel consisting of an outer casing within which is a double.
coned nozzle the upper end being open to the aforesaid pipe or conduit the lower end
terminating near the bottom of the vessel leaving an annular space between the
exterior of the nozzle and the interior of the vessel.
A second short nozzle is screwed into the bottom of the vessel and projects a short
distance into the lower end of the double coned nozzle. A clear water supply
pipe controlled by a regulating valve is connected to the above mentioned annular
space.
And in order.that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings reference being had to the
figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a view of the exterior and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the interior of a
Hydro-classifier made according to my invention.
In these views the whole vessel is shown made in the form of a T piece the hori-
zontal portion a of which is inserted into and forms part of the closed conduit or
main pipe while the vertical portion a¹ has secured to it a casing a forming an
extension of the part a¹. In the vertical tube formed by the two parts a' a' is secured
the double coned nozzle b into the lower end of which projects the short nozzle c which
is secured to the lower end of the casing a'. In communication with the annular
space around the double coned nozzle b is the clear water supply pipe d which is
controlled by a regulating valve e.
The clear water from the supply pipe d passes through the annular space a³ and
part escapes downward through the short nozzle c while the other part rises through
the double coned nozzle b to the closed conduit a with a velocity which can be
regulated by adjusting the aforesaid valve e.

page_text: The water carrying the sand and slime which runs through the horizontal conduit
discharges the solid matter it contains into the Hydro-classifier but the ascending
current of clear water carries the lighter grains back into the conduit and so separates
them from the heavier grains which escape with the descending current of clear water
through the short nozzle c at the bottom of the vessel.
There would usually be several Hydro-classifiers inserted into the same closed
conduit at suitable distances apart and by properly adjusting the pressure of the
supply of clear water to each Hydro-classifier by their respective regulating valves e
a series of products are successively obtained. The clear water supply entering the
Hydro-classifier must necessarily have a pressure exceeding that of the water flowing
through the closed coudait. When the quantity of water carrying slime and sand is
very great Hydro-classifiers are employed which are attached to a cross piece instead
of a T piece as shown in Fig. 2.
In this case the upper branch of the cross piece is surmounted by an overflow or
waste pipe so proportioned as to reduce the pressure in the closed conduit to the
desired degree. The slimy water discharged by this waste pipe carries away the
light sands which usually contain little useful material but which can always be
collected and washed separately if of sufficient value.
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 improved method of washing and separating ores by means of counter
water currents flowing through the improved apparatus constructed and arranged
substantially as herein set forth.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved apparatus
for use in washing and separating ores substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 22nd day of Anonst 1889.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.