An Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting the Liquid obtained by the Treatment of Metalliferous Slime, Pulp, or Sand with Solvents.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting the Liquid
obtained by the Treatment of Metalliferous Slime, Pulp, or Sand
with Solvents.
We, THOMAS THEOPHILUS DRAPER, of 267, Little Collins Street, Melbourne, in
the Colony of Victoria, Australia, Electrician, and WILLIAM RYLEY, of 403,
Torrak Road East, South Yarra, Victoria aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for extracting the
liquid obtained by the treatment of metalliferous slime, pulp, or sand with solvents,
and particularly those which have been treated with a cyanide solvent; and the
main feature of the invention consists in extracting, by aid of a vacuum or partial
vacuum, the soluble liquid contents from the slimes, pulp, or sand whilst they
are being carried upon an endless travelling belt or table supported by drums
or other suitable carriers. Also it consists in leaching or washing the slimes,
pulp, or sand, whilst on the belt or table and submitting them to a second
vacuum extraction process, or to a succession of such processes.
In our process the material to be treated is delivered of a proper consistency
from a suitable agitating chamber in a continuous stream on to an endless
travelling belt or table made of a suitable porous material and the belt or table
may have its edges strengthened and raised. The said endless belt or table is
carried over or around one or more drums or cylinders so constructed that the
portion of the belt or table which is in contact with either one or both of the
drums or cylinders is subjected to the action of a vacuum or partial vacuum which
extracts the solution from the material under treatment. Such solution passes
through the porous belt and falls into the chambers formed within the circum-
ference of the drum or cylinder. These chambers are so connected with the
source of exhaust that only those which are covered by the belt or table are
acted upon by the vacuum, thus securing a continuous extraction of the solution
by the travelling of the belt or table. The solution is conducted from the
chambers to a suitable receptacle for further treatment by any well-known
method.
In one form of our apparatus the material to be treated is delivered from a
feed-hopper or shute on to an endless travelling belt or table passing over two or
other suitable number of drums and suitable guide or idle rollers. Each drum
(when a plurality is employed) is mounted on a shaft which is carried by suitable
bearings the whole being supported within a suitable framing. The surface or
periphery of each drum is made up of a number of independent chambers preferably
divided off parallel with the axle and of angular sections in order that the lower
angle of each chamber may form a well to retain the solution until such time
as the perforations reach the discharging position. The whole of said chambers
have their outer surface upon which the belt lies perforated or meshed. Each
chamber is also at one end connected by a radial pipe with an annulus located
upon the axle, and such annulus has a ring or cover in it which is in turn

page_text: connected by a branch with a pipe leading from a vacuum pump. The said
annular cover or ring is adjustable and is so arranged that it remains stationary
whilst the drum revolves, and its upper inner surface is recessed in the form
of a cut-off valve in order that the pump may act only on the upper or requisite
number of the said pipes leading to the said chambers which are covered by the
travelling belt. When in their lower positions and uncovered from the belt the
pipes and the chambers to which they are connected are open to the atmosphere.
The extracted solution is delivered from the chambers when in their lower position
into suitable dishes from which delivery pipes may project. Compression belts
supported on pulleys may be employed to press on each edge of the belt or table
to keep the latter well down upon the drums; the said compression belts may
also form raised edges for the table and between which edges the slimes, pulp,
or sand are laid. An endless washing-blanket supported on drums may likewise
be employed, and between such blanket and the belt or table the materials under
treatment pass and are washed, the blanket receiving water from a suitable spray
pipe. One or more of these spray pipes may be arranged to supply water or
weak solvents, for washing or feaching the slimes whilst under the influence of
the vacuum maintained within the said chambers. The slimes that have passed
over the vacuum drum are delivered to a creeper or endless belt in order to carry
them to the requisite position for further treatment or otherwise. Motion is
imparted to either one or both of the drum shafts by gearing or otherwise in any
approved or well known manner.
According to a modified form of apparatus the vacuum chambers may be
made of a segmental section to lie close together whilst they pass over plain
drums the said chambers being linked or otherwise secured together in order to
form an endless belt which stretches over a supporting table whilst the underside
of vacuum chamber belt travels on one or more paths which also support the dish
or tray for the reception of the extracted solution. In this case the outer
surface of each chamber is perforated and also the end of each is coupled by a
nipple to a flexible pipe which is connected to an annulus and valve ring similar
to that herein before described and leading to a vacuum pump.
In this instance the porous endless travelling belt passes over the upper part of
the endless vacuum chamber belt and over suitable pullies. Compression belts
supported on pullies and one or more endless washing blankets supported on
drums and spray pipes may be employed as before.
The apparatus employed in our process is such that the operation is a continuous
one, one agitator leaching the pulp while another is discharging and, as the whole
process is a mechanical one, little or no attention is required.
We wish it understood that we do not confine ourselves only to the two types
of apparatus described in the working of our process as the details of construction
of such apparatus can be modified in many ways without departing from the
essential features thereof.
001 1
e
1 1000
COMPLETE SHITION
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting the Liquid
obtained by the Treatment of Metalliferous Slime, Pulp, or Sand
with Solvents.
We, THOMAS THEOPHILUS DRAPER, of 267, Little Collins Street, Melbourne, in 5
at Vintonia Wlaatuisian
N 103 rok Road
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Extracting the Liquid
obtained by the Treatment of Metalliferous Slime, Pulp, or Sand
with Solvents.
We, THOMAS THEOPHILUS DRAPER, of 267, Little Collins Street, Melbourne, in 5
the Colony of Victoria, Electrician, and W. Rury of No
402 Barrel Road

page_text: East, South Yarra, Victoria aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to performed to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for extracting the
liquid obtained by the treatment of metalliferous slime, pulp or sand with solvents,.
and particularly those which have been treated with a cyanide solvent; and the
main feature of the invention consists in extracting, by aid of a vacuum or partial
vacuum, the soluble liquid contents from the slimes, pulp or sand whilst they
are being carried upon an endless travelling belt or table supported by drums
or other suitable carriers. Also it consists in leaching or washing the slimes,
pulp or sand, whilst on the belt or table and submitting them to a second
vacuum extraction process, or to a succession of such processes.
In our process the material to be treated is delivered of a proper consistency
from a suitable agitating chamber in a continuous stream on to an endless
travelling belt or table made of a suitable porous material and the belt or table
may have its edges strengthened and raised. The said endless belt or table is
carried over or around one or more drums or cylinders so constructed that the
portion of the belt or table which is in contact with either one or both of the
drums or cylinders is subjected to the action of a vacuum or partial vacuum which
extracts the solution from the material under treatment.
Such solution passes
through the porous belt and falls into the chambers formed within the circum-
ference of the drum or cylinder. These chambers are so connected with the
source of exhaust that only those which are covered by the belt or table are
acted upon by the vacuum, thus securing a continuous extraction of the solutiom
by the travelling of the belt or table. The solution is conducted from the
chambers to a suitable receptacle for further treatment by any well-known
method.
In order that our invention may be well understood we will now describe it
aided by a reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus suitable for our process shewn with the
near side frame and some of the exhaust pipes removed and with the circum-
ference of the drums or cylinders made up of vacuum chambers over which the
belt travels and Fig. 2 a sectional view at a Fig. I through one of the drums
whilst,
Fig. 3 shews a side view of a modified form of our apparatus when the exhaust
or vacuum chambers are made up into the form of a belt or table.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A is the endless travelling belt or table passing as shewn
over two similar drums marked B and B₁, and the guide or idle rollers C, C.
A being the feed hopper or chute leading to the belt. Each drum is mounted
on a shaft B2 carried by suitable bearings supported on a horse or framing D.
The surface or periphery of each drum is made up of a number of independent
closed chambers b preferably divided off parallel with the axle and of the angular
section shewn in Fig. 1 in order that the lower angle y of each chamber may
form a well to retain the solution until such time as the perforations reach the
discharging position. The whole of said chambers have their outer surface
upon which the belt A lies, perforated or meshed. Each chamber bis also shewn
connected at one end by a radial-pipe b with an annulus 2 upon the axle and
such annulus has a ring or cover 63 in it which is in turn connected by branch 4
with a pipe leading from a vacuum pump. Said annular cover or ring is so
arranged that it remains stationary whilst the drum revolves and its upper inner
surface is recessed as indicated by the dotted line 65 Fig. 1, in the form of a
cut off valve in order that the pump may act only on the upper or requisite
number of pipes 61 leading to chambers b. The lower set of pipes 61 are opened
to the atmosphere whilst under the curved slot 66 in lower half of ring 63. E are
dishes to receive the extracted solution and E delivery pipes therefrom, F are
compression belts supported on pulleys F¹ as shewn such belts being designed to
press on each edge of the belt or table A to keep it well down upon the drums

page_text: also they form raised edges for table A and between which edges the slimes etc.
are laid. is an endless washing blanket supported on drums F³ and between
which blanket and the belt or table the materials under treatment pass and are
washed, the blanket receiving water from a spray pipe G¹. The perforated spray
pipes G and G are arranged as shewn to supply water for washing or leaching
the slimes whilst under the influence of the vacuum maintained within chambers b.
H is a creeper or endless belt upon which the slimes that have passed over the
vacuum drums are delivered in order to carry them to the requisite position for
further treatment or otherwise. Motion is imparted to either one or both of the
drum shafts B, by gearing or otherwise in any approved or well known
manner.
Fig. shews a modified form of apparatus having the vacuum chambers made
of a segmental section to lie close together whilst on the plain drums B3 and
linked or otherwise secured together in order to form an endless belt which
stretches over a supporting table J whilst the under side of vacuum chamber belt
travels on a path or paths J which also supports the dish or tray E for the
reception of the solution. In this case the outer surface of each chamber b is
perforated and also the end of each is coupled by a nipple c to a flexible pipe and
each of said flexible pipes are connected to a rotary annulus or valve ring
similar to 2 and 3 Fig. 1 and leading to a vacuum pump. The flexible pipes
between nipples c and the annulus and valve ring are carried round at same rate
as the vacuum chamber belt and by the cut off arrangement of the annulus and
valve ring, the vacuum is created only in these chambers b which are upon
table J and in contact with the travelling belt. A is the porous endless travelling
belt or table as before but in this instance it passes over the upper part of the
endless vacuum chamber belt and over pulleys C, C. F are the compression belts
supported on pulleys, the endless washing blanket supported on drums 1.
A the feed hopper and G, G the spray pipes as before.
In working the process with our apparatus the material under treatment is
fed from a hopper on to the endless travelling belt or table A which is of a
porous substance in order to allow the solution to be drawn through it into the
exhaust chambers while retaining on its surface the residue of the material.
The endless belt A with the material under treatment on its surface is carried
on the drum B and travelling with it is subjected to the exhaust in chambers b
on which it rests, when the solution contained in the material is drawn into the
said chambers by the vacuum or partial vacuum formed therein and from which
chambers the solution is delivered into a suitable receptacle for further treatment
by any well-known method.
While the material under treatment is still on the drum B it receives a spray
of liquid to weaken the solution from pipe G which acts as a preliminary wash to
dilute and assist to remove the soluble contents present in the material under
treatment.
The material still on the belt A passes on to drum B₁ where it is subjected to a
similar treatment and to a washing or leaching process by passing under an endless
blanket or belt of fibrous material which is charged with water or any desired
solution from pipe G¹ to further extract the soluble contents of material under
treatment to any degree desired. If desired a third drum or even more may be
employed.
The exhausted pulp is carried forward by the belt or table and either delivered
to a creeper or direct into an agitator supplied with water wherein the pulp is
washed and afterwards it is delivered on to a second extracting table similar to
the preceding one and the exhausted pulp therefrom may be again delivered to
a third agitator and extracting table or it may be delivered direct to the tailings
heap.
The apparatus employed in our process is such that the operation is a continuous
one, one agitator leaching the pulp while another is discharging and as the whole
process is a mechanical one, little or no attention is required.

page_text: We wish it understood that we do not confine ourselves only to the two types
of apparatus shewn and described in the working of our process as the details of
construction of such apparatus can be modified in many ways without departing
from the essential features thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. An improved process for extracting the liquid obtained by the treatment
of metalliferous slimes, pulp or sand with solvents consisting in subjecting them,
whilst upon an endless travelling belt or table to the action of a vacuum or
partial vacuum maintained in chambers under the belt or table as described and
explained.
2. In an improved process for the purpose specified an endless travelling belt
or table of porous material combined either with drums having their surface made
up of vacuum chambers perforated on their outer surface or with a belt formed
of vacuum chambers similarly perforated and supported on drums substantially as
described and shewn.
3. The general combination and arrangement of parts forming the apparatus
used in working our improved process for the purpose specified consisting mainly
of the endless travelling belt or table, as A, the vacuum chambers as beither in
the form of a drum or in the form of a belt, the compression belts as F, washing
blanket as F2, spray pipes as G and G¹, feed hopper as A¹, and the solution
cistern or dishes as E, all substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 13th day of December 1898.
THOS. T. DRAPER.
WILLIAM RYLEY.