Improvements in Centrifugal Sorting Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug.,
1899
Improvements in Centrifugal Sorting Apparatus.
We, EDOUARD BARAZER, of 36, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Engineer, and
VICOMTE MAURICE DE LA HITTE, of Montech (Tarn et Garonne), Gentleman, both
in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In mining and metallurgical industries various apparatus termed "sorting
apparatus" are employed for enriching the yield or, in other words, for extract-
ing from the gangues the largest possible quantity of ore.
The apparatus which we employ presents over similar apparatus, used at the
present time, special advantages which can not at the same time be obtained by
the latter, namely simplicity of construction, great efficiency and the possibility
of methodically separating and sorting the minute particles or dust produced by
the operation of crushing the ore prior to its entering the sorting apparatus; more-
over the facility, with which the apparatus can be adapted for the treatment of
all kinds of ore or other materials requiring to be sorted.
The operation of sorting is obtained by way of projection, it being optional to
construct the passage to be traversed by the materials in any desired length so
as to admit of the said materials being collected in hoppers constructed as herein
after indicated.
The possibility of systematically separating and sorting all the minute particles
or dust produced by the previous crushing of the ore, and the fact that this
separation is effected the moment when the materials are thrown from the bed
plate, offers, as compared with similar apparatus, important advantages which
suggest the use of our sorting apparatus for the purpose of increasing the yield
in rich ore dust.
These rich ore particles or dust remain, up to the present time either in the
gangues or are thrown or carried away into the atmosphere.
In both cases a considerable loss in the output of the mine naturally results.
When mixed up with the gangues, they impede the chemical treatment; when
carried away into the atmosphere they cause considerable loss, especially in the
case of treating gold, silver and nickel ore. The losses resulting from drifted
ore dust are universally known in the dry-treatment of rich ore.
Our apparatus comprises a horizontal bed plate, which receives a rapid rotary
motion, and in the centre of which the materials to be separated and sorted,
according to density, are placed; below this plate a receiver is fixed, the same
forms a chamber, in which a suction device is moved; the suction device draws
the dust particles in and forces them into the receiver; a movable screw-actuated-
support serves to raise or lower the rotary plate as the case may be.
Rows of juxtaposed hoppers forming concentrical rings serve to receive the
concentrated products of various degrees or categories, which are removed by
wagons adapted for use at the hoppers.
A suction apparatus variable in speed and capable of sucking and forcing the
dust particles, irrespective of their density, is arranged at the place where these

page_text: particles pass along and the latter are sent into a box or receptacle provided with
special arrangements for removing these dust particles.
When these apparatus are set in motion, the particles are as soon as the
materials are thrown on to the plate, carried away into grooves, provided on this
plate and forced out to a certain extent corresponding to their density, the height
of the plate above the hoppers and the rotary speed of the said plate.
Thus in the case of an ore, previously crushed, the dust particles are sucked
and forced into a receiver, arranged adjacent to the plate; the most friable
gangues are forced out a smaller distance than the denser gangues and the latter
to a still smaller extent than the ore proper.
The different particles thus sorted in the open space or chamber unite in the
sets of adjacent hoppers forming the concentrical rings, arranged for this purpose,
and below these hoppers small wagons are placed, which serve for removing the
sorted materials.
We, of course reserve the right to employ in connection with out apparatus
any such hydraulic or other process, as may be found suitable, and the object of
which is to treat the materials in the moist way, instead of effecting the sorting
essentially in the dry way, as in the case of this apparatus.
The sorting apparatus consists of a plate fixed to the upper end of a vertical
shaft held in position in the socket of a bridge, resting upon a cup-shaped socket
supported by a screw.
A bowl shaped part in which a suction device is adapted to revolve, is sup-
ported by columns and connected to the receiver by a pipe, upon which, if so
required, a suction device may be fixed As the plate is displaceable as well as
the bowl shaped part and the whole apparatus, a blast pipe with a suitable joint
permitting of this pipe being raised, is provided.
The shaft receives its rotary motion from a horizontal shaft through the inter-
mediary of a friction mechanism.
In the bed plate grooves are provided upon the outer crown, and the said
grooves are inclined to an angle of 45 degrees relatively to equidistant radii ;
the upper part of the grooves is closed by a crown, rigidly fixed to the solid parts,
which leave the grooves between them. At the centre of the plate a cone is
arranged, which exactly joins the bottom of the grooves; and the crown, pro-
vided with a reversed funnel or hopper with a large opening, is likewise fixed to
the bed plate by means of thumb-scrows.
The crushed ore is carried along an inclined plane and thus fed into the
hopper, where it falls upon the coue, in order to be conveyed through the hollow
space or chamber, left between these two last mentioned parts at the entrance of
the grooves.
As the bed plate then is set in rotary motion, the centrifugal force
acts upon each molecule constituting the ore and forces it through the grooves
into the concentrical hoppers.
As, in the case of our sorting apparatus the ejecting force is dependent on the
density of the materials under treatment, on the speed of the rotary bed plate and
on the height of the latter above the hoppers, in order to obtain that concentrated
products of various categories, gangues, quartz and ore may flow into the con-
centrical rings, formed by the hoppers, it will be sufficient, to vary the speed of
the bed plate and its height by properly acting upon the screw, so as to obtain a
trajectory or passage, properly corresponding to the density of the materials
under treatment.
As the dust particles pass away from the bed plate they are sucked by means
of a suction device, fixed either to the shaft or fastened to the pipe which con-
nects the bowl to the receiving box.
The suction device rotating at a proper rate of speed, according to the density,
of the particles under treatment, produces a partial vacuum in the space com-
prised between the bottom of the plate and the bowl, draws in the particles and
forces them, mixed with the sucked air, into the receiving box.
This receiver is so arranged as to enable the forced air blast to escape and to

page_text: collect the dust particles which accumulate in the receiver, for the purpose of
being discharged into a small wagon.
The bowl shaped piece must be so fixed that its edges are located in one and
the same plane with the orifices of the bed plate, and rather with the lower part
of the orifices.
The necessity for utilizing a suction apparatus with variable speed presents
itself each time, when ore or gangues of a different nature and density are to
be treated. When this speed of the suction apparatus must be different to that
of the shaft, the suction device is fixed at any point of the pipe between the bowl
and the receiver. The suction device is, in this case, actuated by a special
transmission gear.
The dust collecting receptacle may be formed of a perforated rectangular piece
enabling the air to escape, and of two superposed conical parts provided with
valves in such a manner, as to facilitate the discharging operations.
The hoppers forming three annular chambers, are constructed so as to admit
of the materials being rapidly discharged into the wagons. The rail ways are
so arranged, that the concentrated products can be rapidly cleared away.
T: 06th day of dust 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Centrifugal sorting apparatus.
We, EDOUARD BARAZER, of 36, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Engineer, and
VICOMTE MAURICE DE LA HITTE, of Montech (Tarn et Garonne), Gentleman, both
in the Republic of France, 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:-
13
In mining and metallurgical industries various apparatus termed "sorting
apparatus are employed for enriching the yield or, in other words, for extract-
ing from the gangues the largest possible quantity of ore.
The apparatus which we employ, presents, over similar apparatus, used at the
present time, special advantages which can not at the same time be obtained by
the latter, namely simplicity of construction, great efficiency and the possibility
of methodically separating and sorting the minute particles or dust produced by
the operation of crushing the ore prior to its entering the sorting apparatus,
also the facility, with which the apparatus can be adapted for the treatment of
all kinds of ore or other materials requiring to be sorted.
The operation of sorting is obtained by projection, it being optional to
construct the passage to be traversed by the materials of any desired length, so
as to admit of the said materials being collected in hoppers constructed as herein-
after indicated.
The possibility of systematically separating and sorting all the minute particles
or dust produced by the previous crushing of the ore, and the fact that this
separation is effected the moment when the materials are thrown from the bed
plate, offers, as compared with similar apparatus, important advantages which
suggest the use of our sorting apparatus for the purpose of increasing the yield
in rich ore dust.
Heretofore the said rich ore particles or dust remained either in the gangues,
or were thrown into, or carried away into the atmosphere.

page_text: In both cases a considerable loss in the output of the mine naturally results.
When mixed up with the gangues, they impede the chemical treatment; when
carried away into the atmosphere they cause considerable loss especially in the
case of treating gold, silver and nickel ore. The losses resulting from drifted
ore dust are universally known in the dry-treatment of rich ore.
Our apparatus comprises a horizontal plate, which receives a rapid rotary
motion, and in the centre of which the materials, to be separated and sorted,
according to density, are placed; below this plate a pan is fixed; the same forms
a chamber in which a suction device is revolved; this suction device draws the
dust particles in and forces them into the pan; a movable screw-actuated support
serves to raise or lower the rotary plate as the case may be
Rows of juxtaposed hoppers, forming concentrical rings, serve to receive the
concentrated products of various degrees of density, which are removed by
wagons adapted for use in connection with the said hoppers,
A suction apparatus variable in speed and capable of sucking and forcing the
dust particles,. irrespective of their density, may be arranged at the place where
these particles pass along, and the latter are sent into a box or receptacle provided
with special arrangements for removing the said dust particles.
When the apparatus is set in motion, the particles are, as soon as the materials
are thrown on to the plate, carried away into grooves, provided on this
plate, and forced out to a certain extent corresponding to their density, the height
of the plate above the hoppers and the rotary speed of the said plate.
Thus in the case of an ore, previously crushed, the dust particles are sucked
and forced into a receiver, arranged adjacent to the plate; the lighter gangues
are forced out a smaller distance than the denser gangues and the latter to a
still smaller extent than the ore proper.
The different particles thus sorted in the open space or chamber unite in the
sets of adjacent hoppers forming the concentrical rings, arranged for this pur-
pose; and below these hoppers small wagons are placed, which serve for removing
the sorted materials.
We, of course, reserve the right to employ in connection with our apparatus
any such hydraulic or other process, as may be found suitable, and the object of
which is to treat the materials by the moist method instead of effecting the sort-
ing essentially by the dry process as in the case of this apparatus.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown a constructional example of our
improved sorting apparatus in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section showing the rotary plate and the
mechanism employed for actuating the same.
Figure 4 is a plan thereof;
Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a section and plan of the said rotary plate
proper ;
Figure 7 shows to an enlarged scale the grooves provided in the aforesaid
plate and
The sorting apparatus consists of a plate A, fixed to the upper end of a vertical
shaft B, held in position in the socket of a bridge G, and resting upon a cup
shaped socket D, supported by a screw E.
A pan R, in the lower part of which a suction device Y is adapted to revolve,
is supported by columns Z and connected to the receiver S by a pipe O upon
which, if so required, a suction device Y¹ may be fixed. As the plate A is dis-
placeable as well as the pan, R and the whole apparatus, a pipe with a suitable
joint permitting of this pipe being raised, is provided.
The shaft B receives its rotary motion from a horizontal shaft F through the
intermediary of a friction mechanism.
In the plate A grooves C are provided upon the outer crown, and the said

page_text: grooves are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees relatively to equidistant radii; the
upper part of the grooves is closed by a crown H, rigidly fixed to the solid parts,
which form grooves between them. At the centre of the plate a cone I is
arranged, which exactly joints the bottom of the grooves C; and the crown H,
provided with a reversed funnel or hopper L with a large opening, is likewise
fixed to the plate A by means of thumb-screws K.
The crushed ore is carried along an inclined plane or chute M. and thus fed into
the hopper L where it falls upon the cone I, in order to be conveyed through the
hollow space or chamber, left between these two last mentioned parts at the
entrance of the grooves. As the plate A is then set in rotary motion, the centri-
fugal force acts upon each particle constituting the ore and forces it through the
grooves Cinto the concentrical hoppers T.
As, in the case of our sorting apparatus the ejecting force is dependent on the
density of the materials under treatment, on the speed of the rotary plate, and on
the height of the latter above the hoppers, it will be sufficient, in order that
concentrated products of various degrees of density, gangues, quartz, and ore,
may flow into the concentrical rings, formed by the hoppers, to vary the speed of
the plate and its height by properly acting upon the screw E, so as to obtain a
trajectory or passage, properly corresponding to the density of the materials
under treatment.
As the dust particles pass away from the plate A, they are sucked by means
of a suction device, fixed either to the shaft B or fastened at Y¹ to the pipe U
which connects the pan R to the receiving box S.
The suction device rotating at a proper rate of speed according to the density
of the particles under treatment, produces a partial vacuum in the space coin-
prised between the bottom of the plate A and the pan R, draws in the particles
and forces them mixed with the air, into the receiving box S.
This receiver S is so arranged, as to enable the forced air blast to escape and
to collect the dust particles which accumulate in the receiver S for the purpose
of being discharged into a small wagon.
The bowl shaped piece R must be so fixed that its edges are located in one and
the same plane with the orifices of the bed plate A, or rather with the lower
part of the said orifices.
The necessity for utilizing a suction apparatus with variable speed presents
itself each time when ore or gangues of a different nature and density are to be
treated. When this speed of the suction apparatus must be different to that of
the shaft B, the suction device is fixed at any point of the pipe 0 between the
pan and the receiver S. The suction device is, in this case, actuated by a special
transmission gear.
The hoppers T, forming three annular chambers, are constructed so as to admit
of the materials being rapidly discharged into the wagons. The railways are so
arranged, that the concentrated products can be rapidly cleared away.
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. In apparatus for sorting or separating ore and other materials, the utiliza-
tion of centrifugal force for obtaining a methodical sorting-according to the
degree of density of various materials constituting the material to be treated
substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for sorting ore and other materials, the provision of trajec-
tories or passages of any desired length in such a manner, that, whatever may be
the nature of the materials to be treated, the latter are thrown into stationary
hoppers forming concentric rings, below which hoppers wagons are placed, serving
to receive and remove the concentrated products of various degrees of density.
3. In apparatus for sorting ores and other materials the rapid separation of
the minute particles or dust from the total bulk or mass under treatment and the

page_text: methodical sorting of the same in the dry manner, substantially as herein-
described.
4. The hereindescribed apparatus for sorting ore and other materials, con-
Etructed, arranged, and operating substantially as described with reference to the
drawings.
•
1330
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.