Improvements in Machinery and Appliances for Treating, Dressing, and Cleaning Tin and other Mineral Ores, and in Modes, Means, and Processes Connected therewith, and for other Useful Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1886
Complete Left, 6th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 26th Aug., 1887
Improvements in Machinery and Appliances for Treating, Dressing,
and Cleaning Tin and other Mineral Ores, and in Modes,
Means, and Processes Connected therewith, and for other
Useful Purposes.
I, GEORGE MIDDLETON EDWARDS of No. 54 Gresham Street, London, E.C., in
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Letters Patent under date of 23 May 1885 No. 6347 were granted to me for
improvements in Machinery and appliances for treating dressing and cleaning Tin
and other mineral ores, and part of the processes therein indicated was the use of
Cylinders, fitted in some cases with plungers, as therein described.
My improvements in this process consist in so arranging the mechanical appliances
connected therewith that a continuous flow of water can intermittently be increased
in volume and power, thereby enabling a larger bulk of materials to be operated upon
in a given time and also permitting coarser material to be dealt with, than could be
advantageously treated under my previous methods.
For the purpose of my Invention therefore, I propose to make use of vessel or tubes
constructed of metal, wood or other suitable material, of convenient size, and advan-
tageously, cylindrical in form, of diameter from about one to three feet, more or less
and of depth slightly in excess of their diameter. These Cylinders, in sets of about
six in number, more or less, I propose to place on end along the length of a channel
or trough capable of holding water, which I propose to construct of wood, metal or
other suitable material and the sides of which I make sufficiently high as to be about
one foot above the upper rim or edge of the Cylinders when placed therein.
Between each Cylinder I place a water-tight partition running across the breadth
of the trough and nearly up to the level of the top of the Cylinder, and I arrange
that whilst the bottom of the trough shall longitudinally be on an incline of about
one inch in a foot, the Cylinders resting on end therein shall stand perpendicularly.
To effect this latter arrangement I place the Cylinders on steps and arrange that the
half circumference of the lower end of the Cylinder, at that part of it furthest from

page_text: the head of the trough, shall rest on the step, and the half circumference nearest the
head of the trough shall be cut away, so as to make that part of the Cylinder stand
clear away from the step about two inches, more or less. The effect of this arrange-
ment of the Cylinders on steps is, that the upper edges of each of the Cylinders are
raised and stand above those of the Cylinders next in succession when they are fixed
in the trough.
My object in thus arranging the Cylinders being to obtain a fall of water from one
to the other, I close in the upper part of the trough about a foot from the top of its
sides, with a water-tight floor closely fitting around the upper end of each Cylinder
which, in consequence of the floor sloping parrellel to the incline of the bottom of the
trough, will, at its side furthest away from the head of the trough, stand up above the
floor about two or three inches. In this floor, at the end of each watertight partition
herein before alluded to, I leave a slit or opening of about two to four inches wide and
of the whole breadth of the trough, to serve as a channel through which water can
overflow from the top of one Cylinder to the open lower end of the Cylinder standing
next below it in the trough.
To force the water to pass down this aperture, a stop or partition of sufficient length
and height to reach across and up to the top of the two sides of the trough, is attached
to the flooring, and also reaches below it to within three or four inches of the bottom
of the trough. The method I propose to adopt for obtaining a fall or flow of sand or
slime-bearing water is as follows. The head of the trough is closed in at the end and
the end piece is hollow like a flattened funnel and higher than the sides of the trough
by two or three feet, more or less.
I so arrange that water, bearing sand or slimes, let into the trough over and through
this end piece, shall flow nearly perpendicularly until it enters the open lower end of
the first Cylinder, namely, that nearest the head of the trough.
In order however that the water in the first Cylinder may be kept for a time up to
the level of the intake at the head of the trough, fit a Cylinder within the first
Cylinder and slide it upwards until it reaches the water level of the intake at the head
of the trough.
By this arrangement the water in the intake to the trough and also in the first
Cylinder when full, is above the level of the water in the second and other Cylinders
by about two feet, more or less.
This
To induce a fall or flow of water, as soon as the intake of water has filled the
upper or sliding section of the first Cylinder, I slide this upper section downwards
into the lower section, by means of a lever or other ordinary mechanical appliance,
with the result of causing the water therein contained, down to the reduced level,
to overflow on to the upper floor of the trough around the first Cylinder.
water, to escape, must fall or flow through the first aperture in the floor, already
described, leading to the bottom of the next or second Cylinder and acting by
pressure on the column of water contained in the second Cylinder, displaces and
passes on to the next or third Cylinder an equal quantity of water and so on to
each succeeding Cylinder of the set, until the water finally escapes through a
channel fitted on the upper floor at the lower end of the trough.
"
The lever then raises the upper or sliding section of the first Cylinder in
readiness for repeating the operation. Each of the Cylinders is fitted with "dollies
or agitators, to prevent the slimmes depositing too quickly, and setting too hard for
easy removal, worked by ordinary mechanical appliances from overhead. In addition
to the intermittent pulsation action of water above described, a slight continuous flow
of water from the first Cylinder onwards can advantageously be kept up by an intake
of clear water being fitted to the upper floor of the trough around the first Cylinder.
It will readily be seen that by the above described method any solid particles such as
Tin slimes, capable of resisting the force of the water, will be deposited on the bottom
of the trough under each Cylinder, after having been "sized" by gravitating against
an up current of water, somewhat diminishing in force by friction as it proceeds from
Cylinder to Cylinder, and that under each Cylinder will be found particles of nearly
the same size but differing in size from other deposits under other Cylinders.

page_text: It will also be found that the greater portion, if not all, the rougher and coarser
particles, such as sand, are kept back and retained under the first Cylinder and can be
at once disposed of, instead of being a more or less serious obstacle to the cleaning of
black tin from the slimes right through every operation up to the very last kieving,
as at present is the case under the system ordinarily pursued. In order to clear from
the Cylinders the accumulation of deposits, I form outlets, either by means of sliding
doors or other ordinary methods, in the bottom of the trough under cach Cylinder, and
as necessity arises, these outlets are opened and some of the water in the Cylinders is
allowed to flow out carrying the slimes with it. The slimes thus extracted from this
Sizing Machine, are received in launders or channels fitted underneath the trough for
the purpose of receiving and delivering them by means of a current of water to any
particular position desired, with reference to their further treatment. This further
treatment will in each case be regulated by the relative size of each class of slimes
flowing from the Sizing Machine.
Thus it would be inexpedient to treat slimes coming from the last or lowest Cylinder
in the Sizing Machine, with the same flow of water or running at the same angle over
an ordinary cleaning frame, as that which would be required for slimes coming out
from the second Cylinder. In most cases it is possible, and it is one of the main
features in my Invention, that great power of control over the flow and deposition of
slimes through the Sizing Machine can be exercised with but little trouble or labor,
this advantage being obtainable chiefly by the facility with which the telescopic or
sliding Cylinder can be worked, either quickly or gradually, thus governing the flow
and quantity of water permitted to fall and carry on the pulsation movement herein-
before referred to. The sand or slime-bearing water is advantageously let into the
Sizing Machine after passing through a tolerably fine grating, to keep back large
grains, as no advantage would be derived from permitting any such to enter the
Machine. Tin has been alluded to herein as the particular ore under consideration―
but the system is equally applicable to gold and other mineral ores and other
substances from which it may be desirable to extract refuse by washing, or be of
advantage to divide into grades or sizes.
Dated this 6th day of October 1886

page_text: Improvements in Machinery and Appliances for Treating, Dressing,
and Cleaning Tin and other Mineral Ores, and in Modes,
Means, and Processes Connected therewith, and for other
Useful Purposes.
I, GEORGE MIDDLETON EDWARDS, of 54 Gresham Street, in the City of London
manufacturer 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, reference being had to the accompanying three sheets of
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Letters Patent under date of 23rd May 1885 No. 6347, were granted to me for
improvements in machinery and appliances for treating, dressing, and cleaning tin
and other mineral ores, and part of the processes therein indicated consisted in the
use of cylinders fitted in some cases with plungers, as therein described.
My present improvements in this process consist in so arranging the mechanical
appliances connected therewith that a continuous flow of water can intermittently be
increased in volume and power, thereby enabling a larger bulk of materials to be
operated upon in a given time than could be advantageously treated under my
previous method, and also permitting coarser material to be dealt with.
According to my present invention, I make use of vessels or tubes constructed of
metal, wood or other suitable material advantageously cylindrical in form and of
convenient dimensions, for example, from about one to three feet, more or less, in
diameter, and of a depth slightly (about two or three inches for example) in excess
of their diameter.
I place these cylinders (as shown in Figure 1 of the Drawings which is a perspective
longitudinal section of my improved sizing machine) in sets of about six in number,
more or less, on end along the length of a channel or trough F capable of holding
water, which channel may be constructed of wood, metal or other suitable material,
and the sides of which I make sufficiently high to stand about one foot, more
or less, above the upper rim or edge of the cylinders when they are placed therein.
Between each two adjacent cylinders A B, BC, and CD, I place a water-tight
partition P running across the breadth of the trough F and coming nearly up to the
level of the top of the cylinder, and I arrange that whilst the bottom of the trough shall
longitudinally be on an incline of about one inch in a foot, the cylinders placed thereon
shall stand perpendicularly.
For this purpose 1 place the cylinders on steps and arrange that the half circum-
ference of the lower end of each cylinder, at that part of it furthest from the head or
upper end of the trough, shall rest on the step, and the lower end of the half
circumference nearest the head or upper end of the trough shall be cut away as shown
at M so as to make that part of the cylinder stand clear away from the step about two a
inches more or less.

page_text: The effect of this arrangement of the cylinders on steps is that the upper edge of
each of the cylinders is raised and stands about two inches, more or less, above those
of the cylinder next in succession when they are fixed in the trough.
My object in thus arranging the cylinders is to obtain a fall of water from one to
the other and I close in the upper part of the trough about one foot, more or loss,
from the top of its sides, with a watertight floor J closely fitting around the upper
end of each cylinder, which latter being perpendicular, will in consequence of this
floor sloping parallel to the incline of the bottom of the trough, stand up above the
floor about two or three inches more or less at the side of each cylinder furthest from
the upper end of the trough.
In this floor at the side of each watertight partition P I have a slit or opening N of
about two to four inches wide and of the whole breadth of the trough, to serve as a
channel through which water can overflow from the top of one cylinder to the open
lower end M of the cylinder standing next below it in the trough.
To force the water to pass down this aperture, a stop or partition R of sufficient
length and height to reach across and up to the top of the two sides of the trough, is
attached to the flooring J.
The method I propose to adopt for obtaining a fall or flow of sand or slime-bearing
water is as follows:
The head of the trough is closed in at the end and is shaped like a flattened funnel
as shown at Q and rises higher than the sides of the trough by two or three feet,
more or less, according to circumstances. I so arrange that water, bearing sand or
slimes from crushed mineral ore, let by the trough K into this end piece Q shall flow
or fall nearly perpendicularly until it enters the open lower end M of the first
cylinder A, viz. that nearest the head of the trough.
In order however that the water in the first cylinder A may be kept for a time up
to the level of the intake at the head of the trough, I fit a cylinder T within the first
cylinder A and keep its upper end up to the water level of the intake at the head of
the trough.
By this arrangement the water in the intake to the trough and also in the first
cylinder A when full, stands above the level of the water in the second and other
cylinders by about two or three feet, more or less. To induce a fall or flow of water,
as soon as the intake of water has filled the upper or sliding section of the first
cylinder, I slide this upper section downwards into the lower section by means of a
lever S or other ordinary mechanical appliance, with the result of causing the water
therein contained, down to the reduced level, to overflow on to the upper floor J of
the trough around the first cylinder.
This water, to escape, must fall or flow through the first aperture in the upper floor
already described leading to the bottom of the next or second cylinder B and acting
upwards by pressure on the column of water contained in the second cylinder B,
displaces and passes on in like manner to the next or third cylinder C, an equal
quantity of water, and so on to each succeeding cylinder of the set, until the water
finally escapes through a channel U fitted on the upper floor at the lower end of the
trough.
The lever S raises the upper or sliding section T of the first cylinder A to the level
of the intake immediately after the escape of the water therefrom.
"
Each of the cylinders is fitted with "dollies or agitators E to prevent the slimes
from depositing too quickly and setting too hard for easy removal; these agitators
are worked by ordinary mechanical appliances from overhead as hereinafter
described.
In addition to the intermittent pulsation of water above described, a slight con-
tinuous flow of water from the first cylinder onwards can be advantageously kept up
by an intake of clear water fitted above the upper floor of the trough around the first
cylinder.
It will readily be seen that by the above described method any solid particles such
as tin-slimes, capable of resisting the upward force of the water, will be deposited on
the bottom of the trough within each cylinder, after having been "sized" by

page_text: gravitating against an upward current of water, somewhat diminishing in force by
friction, as it proceeds from cylinder to cylinder, and that within each cylinder will
be found particles of nearly uniform size but differing in size from those of other
deposits within other cylinders.
It will also be found that the greater portion, if not all, of the rougher and coarser
particles such as sand, is kept back and retained in the first cylinder and can be at
once disposed of instead of being a more or less serious obstacle to the cleaning of
black tin from the slimes right through every operation up to the very last kieving,
as is at present the case under the system ordinarily pursued.
In order to clear the cylinders from the accumulation of deposits, I form outlets
either by means of sliding doors or other ordinary well known methods, in the bottom
of the trough under each cylinder and as necessity arises, these outlets are opened
and some of the water in the cylinders is allowed to flow out carrying slimes or other
solid matter with it.
The slimes thus extracted from the sizing machine are received in launders or
channels fitted underneath the machine for the purpose of receiving and delivering
them by means of a current of water to any desired position for further treatment.
This further treatment will in each case be regulated by the relative size of each
class of slimes flowing from each cylinder of the sizing machine. Thus it would be
inexpedient to treat slimes coming from the last or lowest cylinder in the sizing
machine with the same flow of water, or running at the same angle over an ordinary
cleaning frame, as that which would be required for slimes coming from the second
cylinder
In most cases it is possible, and it is one of the main features of my invention, that
great power of control over the flow and deposition of slimes through and in the
sizing machine can be exercised with but little trouble or labour by reason of the
facility with which the telescopic or sliding cylinder T can be worked either quickly
or slowly, suddenly or gradually, thereby governing the flow and quantity of water
permitted to fall and carry on the pulsation movement hereinbefore referred to.
The arms E in the cylinder A are rotated by the bevil wheels W, and to those in
the other cylinders rocking motion is transmitted by the eccentric G and the con-
necting rod H, this rocking motion being reduced in each cylinder in succession by
the arm to which the connecting rod is attached being made longer than that of the
cylinder preceding it.
In the first cylinder A the smaller cylinder T is arranged so that it can be moved
up and down telescopically, an indiarubber ring X rolling between it and the larger
cylinder preventing the water from escaping between them.
If found necessary, a flange around the top of the cylinder A may be used for
keeping the India Rubber ring in position.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The telescopic cylinder T being raised, the
pulverized ore and water together flow into the machine by the entrance K and
following the direction of the arrows enter the cylinder A at the bottom, the stirring
before mentioned is continued until the water rises to the top of the telescopic
cylinder T and is then suddenly stopped for two or three seconds of time, so that the
heavier particles in each cylinder may descend to the lower part thereof, which they
do more rapidly than the lighter ones. The telescopic cylinder T is then lowered
and the water which it contained together with the particles suspended in it flows
through the passage N cut in the upper floor of the machine and enters the cylinder B
at the bottom, but that causes the water in B to overflow and the upper part of its
contents to enter C at the bottom, and so the action is repeated in all the cylinders.
Now, as the overflow is less rapid in each succeeding cylinder, and as the agitation by
the arms E is arranged so as to be less in each cylinder in succession, it is found that
smaller particles will remain in each successive cylinder than in the preceding one
and so the material becomes sized, that is, separated into uniform sizes.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the cylinder A showing an arrangement 5
of levers and parallel motion that I have found convenient and suitable for moving
and guiding the telescopic cylinder T.

page_text: Figure 3 shows a rectangular frame constructed on a principle similar to that of
the sizing machine, which I find well suited to continue the further sizing and
dressing after the material has been passed through the above described machine.
The slimes, as sized by the sizing machine, being drawn out of one of the cylinders.
are made to flow in at the top of the frame, the overflow from each section of the
frame passing to the bottom of the next section and under the partitions L, each of
which may be raised or lowered according to the amount of material that has been
deposited in the bottom of that section. In this frame the deposits are cleared out
by a flush of water passing through each section through traps, by well known ordinary
means.
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of a modification of the sizing machine above
described in which the intermittent overflowing or pulsating action is effected auto-
matically by syphoning instead of by the lowering of a telescopic cylinder. The
action is as follows:-
-As the water rises into the cylinder A, the air in the bend of
the syphon O prevents the water from passing on into the cylinder B, until it has
risen to near the top of the cylinder A when it raises the float Fx and opens the
valve V; this allows of the escape of the compressed air from the syphon O and the
water begins to flow from the cylinder A through the syphon O. The valve V closes
as the water descends but the syphoning action once started will continue till the
water level in the cylinder A descends to the mouth of the syphon when air again
enters, and the action is repeated.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in the several figures of the
drawings.
Instead of making the cylinders A, B, C, D all of one height, and placing each one
somewhat lower than the preceding one, they may be constructed of diminishing
heights and arranged so that their lower ends may be all on one level but their upper
ends successively lower as they approach the lower end of the trough, or they may
be otherwise constructed and arranged, but always in such manner that the flow of
water can take place through them in the manner hereinbefore described.
Ordinary well known mechanical means may be used, if preferred, to move the
telescopic cylinder automatically instead of by hand, and for convenience of transport
the sizing machine may be made in sections.
The sand or slime-bearing water is advantageously let into the sizing machine after
passing through a suitable wire grating to keep back grains of a size unfit for treatment
in the machine above described although tin has been herein mentioned as the
mineral ore for which the machinery above described is adapted, I wish it to be
understood that my improved machinery is equally applicable to washing and sizing,
and in some degree concentrating, gold, quartz, copper, zinc, or other ore, in a
pulverized condition, or to cleansing or separating any other substances of different
specific gravities, such as engine shop siftings, for example, where sizing of particles
would present advantages with a view to cleansing them from refuse matter, or with
intent to procure them of uniform size.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the exact details herein before described, and illustrated in the
drawings, as they may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention ;
at the same time I do not claim any of the parts separately which are well known,
but I declare that what I do claim as my invention is :-
First The machinery for treating, dressing, and cleaning tin and other mineral
ores and for other useful purposes which consists of a series of cylindrical or other
suitably shaped vessels so arranged and adapted that the overflow of water and ore, or
other material from the top of one vessel shall enter the bottom of the next lower
vessel, such series of vessels being combined with devices for producing an inter-
mittent pulsating action of the continuous flow of water, and with devices for stirring
up the pulverized mineral or other matter in the said vessels all arranged and
operating as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.

page_text: Second The use in connection with one or more of the.cylindrical or other vessels,
of the sliding cylinder or vessel T for the purpose of producing an intermittent
pulsating action of the flow of water, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Third The use in connection with one or more of the cylindrical or other vessels,
of the syphon O with the air releasing valve V actuated by a float Fx, for the purpose
of producing an intermittent pulsating action of the flow of water, as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth-The mode, means and process of treating, dressing, and cleaning tin and
other mineral ores, or material, which consists in passing the pulverized mineral or
other solid matter into a series of vessels wherein it is subjected to the action of a
continuous flow of water and to the intermittent pulsatory action of such flow of
water conjointly with an intermittent stirring action whereby the larger and heavier
particles of ore or other material are retained in the upper vessels while the smaller
and lighter overflow into, and are retained in the lower vessels, as hereinbefore
described.
11
1
T
1007