A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, for an
Invention of "A NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR
WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS." A communication
from Heinrich Hochstrate, of Zecho, Rhoinpreussen, near Homberg on tho
Rhine, in the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1880.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. "A NEW AND USEFUL
IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND SIMILAR
MATERIALS." A communication from Heinrich Hochstrate, of Zeche, Rheinpreussen,
near Homberg on the Rhine, in the Empire of Germany.
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus patented in Great Britain
under No. 3353, A.D. 1878, and consists in the application of a series of inverted
syphon pipes (one for every blower) placed with one arm in a water tank and
receiving at the other end the material to be treated, which falls from an endless
band into a hopper placed at the side of the syphon pipe and communicating with
the latter at the bottom, where the material meets the rising current of water with
the effect that the lighter part is carried up with the water and falls over a spout
or incline into a trough, while the heavier part falls to the bottom of the syphon
pipe and is removed by a transporting helix or other horizontal transport
inechanism. The height of the spout is made variable, and the water level in the
tank is kept constant by an inlet pipe and an overflow. The transport screw or
equivalent delivers the heavier material to an elevator (there being one or moro
elevators for each series of blowers) provided with holes which let the water fall
back into a trough provided with an overflow towards a channel receiving the
impure water. From the channel the water is raised by a pump or other suitable
contrivance into a purifying pool, having the same level of water as the feed water
tank and communicating with the latter by a grating or sieve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th January
1881.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. "A NEW AND USEFUL
IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING AND SEPARATING ORES AND SIMILAR
MATERIALS." A communication from Heinrich Hochstrate, of Zeche, Rhein-preussen,
near Homberg on the Rhine, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention is represented on the accompanying Drawing, in which similar
parts are indicated with like letters. The parts of the Drawings marked with
dotted lines represent the improved separating apparatus patented by British
Letters Patent, 3353, dated 24th August 1878,
In the accompanying Drawing H is a water basin communicating with clearing
pool X, in which the level of the water is held uniform by a continual flow of fresh
water through the pipe I and an overflow of sufficient height K.
The pipes R, R, R³, and R³ receive their water from the apparatus S, S¹, S²,
and-S³, each being arranged for an extra size of material. Each of these apparati
is provided with an extra spout 1,7,7, and which can be regulated at will, so
that the necessary water pressure for each size of material can be regulated as
required. The lumpy material carried forward on the endless band F falls through
(g) into the apparatus, and sinks in the water according to its specific gravity,
where it meets the upward flow of water, by which the smaller pieces are carried
up (S) and over the spout (2) to an elevator M. The height the spout is fixed at
regulates the water, and thus the specific gravity (size) of the pieces carried over
the spout (7).
The larger pieces, that is to say, the heavier ones, sink down against the water
stream into the connecting pipe T situated under the water apparatus, and pro-
vided with an endless screw V or any other suitable apparatus, which takes these
pieces away to the Jacob's ladder (N); each water apparatus can however be
provided with an elevator of its own if required.
The level of the water in the elevator N is the same as that in the basin, so that
in each of the spouts of different heights the speed of the water corresponds to the
difference of each spout from the constant water level and to the pressure caused
thereby.
The size and height of the water apparatus, together with its proportions, have
to be determined by experiments, and also regulated according to the size of the
material to be manipulated.
The elevators are all provided with holes, so that the water falls back into the
hopper.
The thick water passes out of the hopper (M) by the two side falls (m) into the
channel (W), and is raised up by either a pump (u) or any other suitable means
into the clearing pool X.
The level of the water in this pool stands at the same height as in the basin in
which the pressure pipes (R) are situated, so that if enough clear water does not
flow in the water from the clearing pool takes its place.
"
In order to prevent floating pieces passing into the basin H a grating his
provided, which however does not quite go down to the bottom.

page_text: When the blowing apparatus stops the pipes R are closed by the flat valves r.
Claim. The separating apparatus, constructed and operating substantially as
described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto sot my hand and
seal, this Eighth day of January, A.D. 1881.