IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SEPARATING, AND SIZING MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Enfield Taylor, of the City and County of Chester,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING,
SEPARATING, AND SIZING MINERAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 13th June 1876, and dated the 10th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Enfield Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1876.
HENRY ENFIELD Taylor, of the City and County of Chester, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SEPARATING, AND SIZING MINERAL AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES."
IM-
This Invention consists essentially of apparatus or a machine the action of which
and that of a current of fluid directed thereto serve for washing, separating, or
dressing substances of different specific gravities, and for sizing material which has
been previously ground or otherwise reduced and prepared for treatment.
The apparatus or machine is constructed in the form of a drum, either conical,
parabolic, or cylindrical, mounted on a horizontal or nearly horizontal axis. In the
inside of the drum is formed a continuous screw thread or threads from the larger
or lower end of the drum to the smaller or higher end. Across the threads ribs
may be placed at intervals.
The drum is made of iron, wood, or other suitable material; the screw and lining
of iron, steel, india-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable material.
The crushed ore, or material to be washed, sized, or treated, is fed by means of a
worn or other suitable means whereby a constant and uniformly regular feed can
be maintained into the larger or lower end of the drum, which is made to rotate by
suitable driving gear, and is mounted in such a manner that the inclination of its
axis is adjustable so as to increase or diminish the flow of a stream of water which
is admitted thereinto at the smaller or higher end.
The direction of the drum in rotating is such that the screw threads propel the
material from the larger or lower to the smaller or higher end. The machine is
thus capable of being adapted to different classes of material, the respective particles
of which are of different specific gravities; the flow and consequently the action of
the water can be increased or diminished at pleasure until the separating or sizing
action has reached its maximum effect.
The machine by its rotary motion and action of the screw is constantly exposing
the whole of the particles of the material under treatment to the action of the

page_text: water in its course from the sinaller or higher to the larger or lower portion of the
drum, the lighter particles being washed down through the larger or lower end and
the heavier carried up against the stream of water by the action of the screw
through the smaller end, and thus the separation is effected.
In dressing materials to which water would be injurious, or where it is not
available, a current of air supplied by a fan or other suitable means may be used
instead the machine in all other respects working as before described when water
is used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Henry Enfield Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st July
1876.
HENRY ENFIELD TAYLOR, of the City and County of Chester, Engineer.
« IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SEPARATING, AND SIZING MINERAL AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES."
This Invention consists essentially of apparatus or a machine the action of which
and that of a current of fluid directed thereto serve for washing, separating, or
dressing substances of different specific gravities, and for sizing material which has
been previously ground or otherwise reduced and prepared for treatment.
The apparatus or machine is constructed in the form of a drum, either conical,
parabolic, or cylindrical, mounted on a horizontal or nearly horizontal axis. In the
inside of the drum is formed a continuous screw thread or threads from the larger
or lower end of the drum to the smaller or higher end. Across the threads ribs
may be placed at intervals.
The drum is made of iron, wood, or other suitable material; the screw and lining
of iron, steel, india-rubber, gutta-percha, or other suitable material.
The crushed ore, or material to be washed, sized, or treated, is fed by means of a
worm or other suitable means whereby a constant and uniformly regular feed can
be maintained into the larger or lower end of the drum, which is made to rotate by
suitable driving gear, and is mounted in such a manner that the inclination of its
axis is adjustable, so as to increase or diminish the flow of a stream of water which
is admitted thereto at the smaller or higher end.
The direction of the drum in rotating is such that the screw threads propel the
material from the larger or lower to the smaller or higher end. The machine is
thus capable of being adapted to different classes of material, the respective particles
of which are of different specific gravities; the flow and consequently the action of
the water can be increased or diminished at pleasure until the separating or sizing
action has reached its maximum effect.
The machine by its rotary motion and action of the screw is constantly exposing
the whole of the particles of the material under treatment to the action of the
water in its course from the smaller or higher to the larger or lower portion of the
drum, the lighter particles being washed down through the larger or lower end and
the heavier carried up against the stream of water by the action of the screw
through the smaller end, and thus the separation is effected.
In dressing materials to which water would be injurious, or where it is not
available, a current of air supplied by a fan or other suitable means may be used
instead, the machine in all other respects working as before described when water
is used.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 an end view of apparatus made under

page_text: shaft and cone pulley, as shown, for delivering a regular and definite supply
into the machine; c is a cone into which the worm first delivers the material to bo
treated; d, d, e, are hollow drums; on the inner surface of each is formed a
screw thread or threads E, E, E, the number, pitch, and depth of which may be
varied so as to suit the quality of material to be operated upon; j, j, are rollers
supporting the drums d, d', d, and upon which the drums revolve on the roller
paths h, h, the drums are driven by belt v or by other suitable means; m, m¹, m³, are
three pipes conveying water into the interior of the cones, the supply to cach being
derived from a cistern and regulated by plugs 1, 1, 1, capable of being screwed up
or down, so as to adjust the flow of water to the greatest delicacy, it being of
importance that the quantity should be sufficient and yet not in excess for the work
to be performed.
In using my improved apparatus the material is first thrown into the hopper a
by an elevator or by hand, it is thence fed into the cone c by the worm 6 in the
quantity found best by experience. When the material has reached the cone c the
rotary motion imparted to it from the separating drums along with which it is
driven through the arm t traverses it to a point a little beyond the middle of the
length of the first drum & into which it falls; there it meets with a stream of water
issuing from the pipe m. The tendency of this stream is to wash down the
material over the thread or threads of the screw to the larger or lower end at 8.
The drums however are made to revolve in such a direction that the tendency of
the threads of the screw is to carry up the particles of material held in partial
suspension by the water against the stream issuing from pipe m to the higher or
smaller end.
The heavy particles gradually settling in the space between the threads of the
screw are carried up into the next drum d¹ and the lighter are washed down to 8.
After this partial separation in drum d the heavy particles undergo still further
treatment in d¹, but in a more searching manner. The threads of the screws being
of a finer pitch and not so deep as in drum d, and the slope of the sides being
steeper, the capacity of the spaces between the threads is not so great, and owing
to the diminution in the pitch of the screw the material is left for a longer period
exposed to the action of the water issuing from pipe in¹. The light particles
separated in cone are washed down to r, and the heavy carried up by the screw
thread to there to undergo the same process. The finished ore or heaviest
particles of material are in this way deposited at 2, and it is found that should the
inaterial under treatment contain three bodies of different specific gravities, as lead,
zinc blend, and spar, the lightest, or spar, is washed away to 8; a mixture of this
and the blend is found at 2, blend alone at q, and clean lead at p.
It will be seen that there is no limit to the number of drums through which the
material may be made to pass, and since each drum effects a considerable separation
they may be employed singly or in any number to suit the material under treatment.
When the machine is used for sizing the smaller particles are washed out and
deposited at 8, the next at r, and so on.
To assist still further the separating action of the machine the screw threads at
the large ends of the drums in each case may be deeper than the threads of the
small ends, so that although the material fed into the inachine may fill the threads
in the lower end, by reason of the rotary motion and the action of the screw this
quantity is constantly being compelled to overflow the threads higher up, and thus
the water is able to overcome any large particles of light material which might
otherwise be carried up in the thread.
A further adjustment is provided for in the machine whereby the maximum
effect of the separating action can be produced in manner following:-By increasing
or diminishing the distance between the rollers j, j, best seen in end view, Fig. 2,
either extremity of the machine can be elevated or depressed so as to increase or
diminish the action and velocity of the water flowing over the material under
treatment.
The points at which the material is deposited in the drums, either from the feed

page_text: or from one to the other, is also capable of adjustinent, by shortening the length of
the feed cone in the former or by regulating the length of the bolts win the
latter.
The above is a general description of one modification of apparatus under my
said Invention and the manner of performing the same, but I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself thereto. For instance, the drums may be
so arranged that the light material instead of the heavy, as described above, may
fall from one drum to the other, as would be the case in washing coal, or a single
drum may be made with a screw of varying pitch and depth of threads. The
machine inay also be constructed of cylindrical portions, or the drums inay have a
parabolic or other curved contour, or be made with flat sides.
What I claim is, apparatus for washing, separating, and sizing mineral and
other substances, operating, directing, and acting substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Enfield Taylor, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
HENRY ENFIELD TAYLOR. (Ls.)