IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES OR MATERIALS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Burns, of Brookside, Haltwhistle, in the County
"
of Northumberland, Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES OR MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Burns at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1881.
DAVID BURNS, of Brookside, Haltwhistle, in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND
SEPARATING ORES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES OR MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus for washing and
separating ores and other substances or materials, and consists of improvements on
an Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 29th March 1877,
No. 1244. By my present improvements such machinery is rendered more perfect
and reliable in its action, and each machine is capable of adaptation for the
treatment of different substances or materials varying greatly in their specific
gravities.
According to my present Invention the mineral or other material to be treated
must first be broken down to some prescribed size, and all pieces larger than this
size carefully eliminated.
Thus prepared the mineral or other substance is to be fed on in a regular flow to
one end of the machine. This consists of a box, the form of which may most
conveniently be a rectangular prism terminating downwards in a rectangular
pyramid. Throughout the length of the prismatic part of the box, and in the
middle of its width, stretches a pipe, preferably of a heptagonal section, and with
one of its sides downwards and horizontal. Throughout the whole length of this
bottom side of the heptagonal pipe is a trellis or equivalent valve, which is opened
and closed by means of a shaft in the interior, passing through a stuffing box to the
outside and to a crank, eccentric, or such other mechanical arrangement as will give
it a reciprocating motion. Above the heptagonal pipe, and stretching throughout
the extent of the box, is a horizontal perforated plate or grating, with apertures

page_text: somewhat larger than the largest of the pieces of materials being treated, so that
they will readily pass through. At the apex of the pyramidal bottom of the box
is a valve, which can be opened and shut from the outside. On the bottom of the
heptagon are regulating plates, which modify the force of the flow of water, and
which can be moved by means of screws from the outside, and so adapt the same
machine for treating different minerals or other materials, such for example, as coal.
The heptagonal pipe communicates through the end of the box with another pipe,
which carries water to it from a natural or artificial head. When the valve in the
bottom of the heptagon opens and shuts it causes the water under pressure to flow
in an intermittent stream into the outer box, and so fills it, and with a pulsating
action passes through the horizontal sieve and agitates the materials resting thereon.
The upward pulsating flow of water raises the substances, but the lighter parts to
a greater degree than the heavier. The result of the double action is that the coal
or other lighter substances is forced to the top and washed over at a depression in
the mouth of the box, and may be allowed to settle in settling pits, or may be
strained from the water by perforated plates or otherwise according to the conve-
nience of the situation, while the heavier substances, which are also washed, fall to
the bottom, and pass through the apertures in the sieve and gather in the lower
part of the box, whence they are from time to time removed by means of the
valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Burns in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th July
1881.
DAVID BURNS, of Brookside, Haltwhistle, in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR. WASHING
SEPARATING ORES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES OR MATERIALS.".
AND
This Invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus for washing and
separating ores and other substances or materials, and consists of improvements
on an Invention for which Letters Patent have been granted to me dated
29th March 1877, No. 1244. By my present improvements such apparatus is
rendered more perfect and reliable in its action, and each apparatus capable of
regulation or adaptation for the treatment of different substances or materials or
different qualities of the same substance or material varying greatly in their specific
gravities.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures marked
thereon, and in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of apparatus constructed
according to my Invention; Fig. 2, a plan; and Fig. 3, a transverse sectional
elevation.
The substance to be treated (mineral, coal, or other) is fed into the tank S of the
apparatus from the classifying sieves at A. B is a perforated plate with holes a
little larger than the largest particles of substance being treated; C are bars of
iron placed across the tank S to strengthen and support' the perforated plate B,
which also rests on the flange D 'cast on or attached to the inner side of the
tank S; E is a tube (by preference heptagonal, communicating with and supplied
by water at a constant pressure (natural or artificial) through the medium of the
pipe F, which is supplied with an air chamber to give regularity and elasticity to
the action of the water; G is a horizontal rod working through the stuffing
boxes H, H, and having imparted to it by means of an eccentric (not shown) or
other mechanical device a reciprocating motion, which it communicates to the
trellis valve I. When therefore the rod G moves backwards or forwards so as to
bring the openings in I opposite the openings in the fixed trellis valve face J water
flows from E into the outer chamber K, and when G moves so as to bring the
solid part of I opposite the apertures in J this flow of water is cut off. This process
continuing after K has been filled with water causes water to issue upwards
through the perforated plate B with a pulsating action. The substance therefore
which has entered at A is subjected to this action of the water, which by alternately
lifting it up and allowing it to fall back tends to wash the lighter particles to the
surface and the heavier to the bottom. The lighter particles therefore are washed
over at M, and the heavier pass through the apertures in B, and settling down
through the water in K gather at N. The lighter particles passing over at M with
the water could be collected in cisterns, and elevated by any of the usual arrange-
ments, or it may be allowed to escape into settling pools and be there collected
according to convenience. The water may be allowed to deposit the mineral, and
then run to waste, or it may be pumped up and used over again. The heavy
mineral which collects at N must be drawn at intervals by the sluice or valve Ŏ
into a settling pit or into a wagon placed under the machine to receive it.'
In order to regulate the force of the water from the tube E into the compart-
ment K, and hence through the perforated plate B, so as to suit different quantities
and kinds of substance treated I make the valve I, J, adjustable. Two plates P

page_text: run the whole length of the trellis valve face J, and these may be moved in parallel
lines backwards and forwards towards or apart from one another by means of the
right and left hand screws on the shaft Q, Q, which can be moved synchronously
by means of the wheels R, R, R. The opening through which the water can flow
into the compartment K may thus be increased or reduced at pleasure, and so
the quantity and force of the water forced through perforated plate B may be
regulated in the same ratio.
When two or more of these apparatus are combined in one system of apparatus
(as it is obvious they may be) each tank S may have an indepentent outlet for the
surplus water forced up into it through the perforated plate B, thus obviating the
necessity for all the water to pass from one tank K to the next, and so perhaps
washing over the substance being treated before it has been fully dealt with. This
may be accomplished by a perforated plate T, the plate B being blank or unperforated
beneath same.
According to my Invention previously patented, as stated, I have found that by
having the pressure water pipe external to the machine the flow of the water
through the perforated plate B has been imperfectly balanced, so that the water acts
more forcible at one point than at another. I have therefore arranged the internal
tube F as described.
I have also found that when a machine has been contrived to treat one class of
mineral containing a particular per centage of heavy material, it was not capable of
treating substances of other specific gravities, or different degrees of richness of the
same mineral. I have therefore arranged the adjustable valve I, J, as described.
I claim as my Invention to be secured by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent,-
1st. Placing the pressure pipe in the interior of the machine, giving it a
symetrical figure, and allowing the water to flow from the bottom, thus giving an
equally diffused and balanced action of the water through the perforated plate B
and on the substance treated.
2nd. The adjustable valve I, J, to regulate the amount of flow of water, and
therefore the force of same at each pulsation.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Burns, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
DAVID BURNS. (L.S.)
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