AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Me-
chanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES." -A
communication.
Sealed the 9th July 1853, and dated the 10th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th January 1853.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIF-
FERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES" to be as follows:-
The leading object of this Invention is to separate copper ore from
the gangue and other substances of less specific gravity with which it
is found, but it will be obvious that it is equally applicable to the
separation of other substances of different specific gravities. The
separation of the substances is effected by the action of currents
of water induced by the vibratory motion in water of a pan containing
the substances to be operated upon, with the bottom made of wire cloth

page_text: or its equivalent, and jointed at or near one end, the other end being
suspended to a crank or cranks. The downward motion through the
water of the pan with the substances to be separated resting on it causes
the water to pass in small jets through the meshes or perforations in the
bottom, and to lift up and, as it were, float the substances to be sepa-
rated, that the currents induced in the water by the vibratory motion
of the pan can act on the various substances, according to the differcuce
of their specific gravities, and thus effectually separate them, the
heavier substances, such as the ore, being delivered at one end of the
pan, and the lighter substances at the other. The ore and refuse
matter may be collected in appropriate receptacles placed under the ends
of the pan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
license that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my exccutors, administrators; and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC
GRAVITIES," being a communication from a foreigner residing abroad,

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newtou, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,.
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The leading object of this Invention is to separate copper ore from
the gangue and other mineral or earthy substances of less specific
gravity with which it is found, but the Invention (as will be seen from
the following description) is equally applicable to the separation of other,
substances of different specific gravities. This separation of substances
having different specific gravities is effected by the action of currents
of water induced by the vibratory motion in water of a pan (for con-
taining the substances to be acted upon) constructed with a bottom
of wire cloth or its equivalent, and jointed at or near one end to a
sustaining rod or axle, and at the other end supported by rods or links
from a crank shaft or an equivalent therefor. The downward motion
through the water of the pan with the substances to be separated
resting on it causes the water to pass in small jets through the
meshes or perforations in the bottom of the pan, and to lift up and,
as it were, float the substances to be separated; the currents induced
in the water by the vibratory motion of the pan will therefore act on
the various substances according to the difference of their specific
gravities, and thus effectually separate them, the heavier substances, such
as the ore, being delivered at one end of the pan, and the lighter
substances at the other.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1, is a plan view of the ma-
chinery employed for effecting the desired object; Fig. 2, is a side
elevation of the same; Fig" 3, and 4, are longitudinal vertical sections

page_text: taken at the lines A...a, and B...b, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, is a crossver-
tical section taken at the line C...c, of Fig. 2. a, represents a box or
reservoir which is to be supplied with water; within this box is sus-
pended a pan composed of side pieces b, b, and one end piece. These
all extend (as represented at Fig. 4,) above and below the bottom, the
end piece being a segment of a circle of which the axis of vibration of
the pan is the centre. These are all properly connected together, and
the bottom c, is composed of fine wire gauze, which bottom is slightly
curved in its longitudinal direction. One end of this pan is suspended
from a rod d, which runs entirely across the box or receiver, and is
formed with journals at the ends fitted to turn in bearings e, e, which
can be adjusted longitudinally and vertically; the other end of the pan
is suspended by or connected with two cranks f. f, on the shaft g, by
means of connecting rods h, h, so that by the rotation of the shaft g,
that end of the pan has a vibratory motion up and down, and the whole
a slight longitudinal notion. The bearings e, e, are attached by screws
i, i, passing through elongated holes to the upper ends of two plates j, j,
which are in turn secured to the sides of the box by screws h, k, passing
through clongated holes, so that the position of that end of the pan
can be adjusted longitudinally and vertically relatively to the crank,
to increase or decrease the general inclination of the wire gauze
bottom, for the greater the inclination the more perfect and slower
will be the separation of the substances, and vice versa. The ore
gangue, &c., previously reduced by grinding, is put upon the pan about
midway between the two ends, and as the pan vibrates in the water the
separation of the ore from the lighter substances is effected by the
passage of the water through the meshes, which lifts the matters
contained in the pan, leaving the holes free for the passage of water
and in rising the holes or meshes are partially closed by the falling of
the metallic matters. The water thus retained in the pan is impelled
towards the lower end thereof, and in escaping from the pan it carries
down with it the lighter substances. At the same time the impulss
given by the crank motion impels the heavier or metallic particles
towards the crank end, where they are discharged through holes 1, 1,
near that end of the pan. The water should be kept above the per-

page_text: forated bottom of the pan during the operation, but as little above it as
practicable, as the operation is then most perfect. The ore and refuse
matter can be collected in appropriate receptacles placed under the ends
of the pan.
Having now described the Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim separating substances of different
specific gravities by means of a pan with a perforated bottom working
in water with a vibratory motion on an axle at or near one end, and
communicated by a crank or its equivalent at or near the other end,
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
5
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)