Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Treatment of Metallic Ores.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Treatment of Metallic
Ores.
I, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS EDWARDES, of 196, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of
London, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;-
My invention relates to apparatus for use in the process of treating ores for the
recovery of metals or metalloids therefrom wherein dichloride or chloride of sulphur
or impure nitrates are used in combination with sodium chloride or other well
known solvent.
In treating sulphide ores by this process the liberated sulphur has to be removed
and this is usually effected by skimming. This skimming however is a difficult
operation owing to the fact that the sulphur is kept in a constant state of circula-
tion with the heated liquid and is generally mixed more or less with the gangue
at the bottom of the vat.
The object of my invention is to simplify this process of skimming and to effect it
more thoroughly than heretofore and to this end it consists in the construction and
application of a skimming apparatus which collects the sulphur directly it rises
to the surface of the liquid in the vat but retains it in the liquid until the process
is completed.
In a suitable arrangement of carrying out my invention the skimmer is attached
to the shaft of the stirrer usually employed and consists of one or more concavo-
convex or channel shaped arms of plaited or woven cane or hair or other suitable
material arranged in such a position that the lower edge or edges of the arm or
arms is or are immersed in the liquid. The said arms are fixed with their concave
sides in the direction in which they are moved so that any sulphur which is caught
by the said arms will be prevented from escaping by the pressure of the liquid as
the skimmer rotates but will at the same time remain immersed in the liquid.
One of the great advantages of my invention is that the skimming operation
can be performed with the cover of the vat in position whereby the escape of
noxious fumes is prevented.
Although I have described my invention as applied to sulphide ores it is to be
understood that it is also applicable for use in the treatment of what are known
as free milling ores to which sulphur is added.
Dal 1111 1
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Treatment of Metallic
Ores.
I, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS EDWARDES, of 196, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of
London, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for use in the process of treating ores for the
recovery of metals or metalloids therefrom wherein dichloride or chloride of sulphur
or impure nitrates are used in combination with sodium chloride or other well
known solvent.
In treating sulphide ores by this process the liberated sulphur has to be removed
and this is usually effected by skimming. This skimming, however, is a difficult
operation owing to the fact that the sulphur is kept in a constant state of circula-
tion with the heated liquid and is generally mixed more or less with the gangue
at the bottom of the vat.
The object of my invention is to simplify this process of skimming and to effect it
more thoroughly than heretofore and to this end it consists in the construction and
application of a skimming apparatus which collects the sulphur directly it rises
to the surface of the liquid in the vat but retains it in the liquid until the process
is completed, the said skimming apparatus being attached to the stirrer usually
employed.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by refer-
ence to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of apparatus provided with my improve-
ments; and,
Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
a is a framing carrying the apparatus and is a vat made of wood or other
material which is not injured by the substances employed, the said vat being
mounted upon the beam e provided at the ends with trunnions d, d carried in bear-
ings in the frame a in such a manner that the vat can be tilted.
C
At the centre of the said vat is formed a tubular portion e through which a
shaft f, which carries an agitator or stirrer g, extends, the said tubular portion e
forming one wall of an annular space in which the arms h, h of the agitator travel
around. The said arms h, h project downwards from the top cross-bars of the
agitator and carry at their lower ends the stirring boards i,i. This agitator g
with its arms and boards i, i and also the upper end of the shaft f and the cap
or cover of the tubular portion e are made of wood or other material which is
unaffected by the materials used in treating the ores.. At the lower part of the
annular space in the vat is arranged filtering material above which is placed a
perforated false bottom 7 through which the liquid can percolate as it is drawn
off through a cock m.
To permit of removing from the vat the gangue or solid matter remaining after
the treatment is completed I provide a door n which is normally held in place by
a screw o in a bridge piece which can be removed when the door n is removed.
When the rat is tipped upon its trunnions it will be obvious that the material in
the vat can be readily removed or washed through the opening.
7,7 are jacks or appliances which serve for tipping the vat in either direction
and for holding it steady during the operation of the apparatus.
is a pinion mounted upon the driving shaft and engaging with a wheel pl

page_text: upon the shaft f the said pinion being made free to slide upon the said shaft so
that it can be drawn back, so as not to prevent the tipping movement of the vat.
The apparatus thus far described forms no part of my invention the description
being given in order to shew a complete apparatus provided with my improvements.
t, are my skimmers which are formed of open work such for instance as plaited
or woven cane or hair which will not be injured by the liquid. These skimmers
as shewn are attached to the arms h. of the stirrer in such a position that they
are partly immersed in the liquid, their hollow or open sides facing the direction
in which they move so that any sulphur which rises to the surface of the liquid
will be caught by the said skimmers and be prevented from escaping therefrom
by the pressure of the liquid as the stirrer rotates. As shewn these stirrers are only
of about half the width of the annular space of the vat the skimmers on alternate
arms being arranged to skim from different portious of the surface, it is to he
understood, however, that the said skimmers may extend to a greater or less
extent along the arms and may be of any desirable shape or construction.
u is a cover which is adapted to close the top of the vat the said cover being
jointed upon the edge of the vat by means of a ring of india-rubber or other
suitable material upon which the cover lies. In practice the weight of the cover
will generally be sufficient to compress the india-rubber to a sufficient extent to
secure a tight joint, should this, however, not be the case the cover can be weighted
or clips or other suitable devices may be provided for producing the desired com-
pression. The said cover has connected to it a rope or chain w passing over pulleys
on the frame a and which serves for lifting the cover when required.
2, are cocks placed upon the cover and which serve for drawing off from time
to time the gases which are given off during the treatment of the ore the said cocks
being adapted to have pipes connected to them in order to convey the gases io a
storage chamber or the like.
yis a funnel or filling tube which is fixed to the side of the vat and opens into
the latter below the level of the bottom edge of the skimmers and through which
the saturated solution and the ore to be operated upon can be introduced. z is a
plug which normally serves to close the said funnel.
One of the great advantages of my invention is that by closing the vat with a
cover the escape of noxious fumes is prevented.
Although I have described my invention as applied to the treatment of sulphide
cres it is to be understood that it is also applicable to the treatment of what are
known as free milling ores or of other ores to which sulphur is added.
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. In apparatus for use in the treatment of metallic ores the combination with
a vat for containing the ores to be treated and a stirrer moving in the said vat, of
skimmers and means for moving the said skimmers so that they will collect the
solid materials rising to the surface of the liquid in the vat, substantially as
described.
2. In apparatus for the treatment of metallic ores the combination with a vat
having a stirrer and a skimmer working in the said vat, of a cover for hermetically
closing the said vat, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for the treatment of metallic ores, the combination of a vat
having an annular space within it, a stirrer travelling round in the said annular
space and a skimmer or skimmers attached to the said stirrer and moving there-
with, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for use in the treatment of metallic ores the combination with
an annular vat having a stirrer moving therein and skimmers attached to and
moving with the said stirrer, of means for tipping the said vat for discharging
the contents, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The manufacture and use of the improved apparatus herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th day of February 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.