Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Washing and Purifying Coal.
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Washing and
Purifying Coal.
I CHARLES SHEPPARD of The New Foundry, Bridgend, in the county of
Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND PURIFYING
COAL and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly,
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
"
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of machinery or
apparatus for washing and purifying coal, the object of the invention being to
facilitate the washing and purifying of the coal, more especially after it has been'
very finely crushed.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same'
by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1, sheet 1, and figure 2'
sheet 2, are elevations partly in section of a machine or apparatus for washing
and purifying coal constructed according to my invention; figure 3 sheet 3, is a
transverse vertical section of part of the machine; figure 4, sheet 3, is a transverse
vertical section shewing a modified construction of the washing chambers. Similar
letters in all the figures represent similar or corresponding parts.
In carrying out my invention, the coal to be washed, if not already fine enough,
is first crushed by a suitable mill, and then screened to different sizes, but I prefer
that it should be crushed until the whole of it will pass through a fine sieve,
so that it will not be necessary to crush it again after washing, as hereinafter
described, in order to render it fit for use in coke ovens.
The coal having been screened to the desired degree of fineness is introduced
into a bin or trough a, whence it is raised by an elevator L, to a feed trough N,
by which 'it is distributed to compartments A; three of such compartments are
shewn in the drawing but this number may be varied as required according to the
quantity of coal to be washed.
The compartments A, one of which is clearly shewn at figure 3, are divided by
plates B and B¹, and a feed pipe C, is cast in the plate B.
By means of the pipe C, water is supplied to the compartiments A; the said
pipe extends through the various compartments of the machine and in each com-
partment it is perforated with a like number of small holes whereby an even and
regular quantity of water is supplied to effect the washing.
The plate B¹, has a valve to let out the refuse; within the compartments
or divisions A, are accurately fitted pulsators E and E¹, to which motion is com-
municated in the manner hereinafter described; each pulsator consists of an open
ID 11

page_text: grating covered with a perforated plate or woven wire and having sides fastened
to the grating.
Previous to commencing the washing operation I provide the perforated floor of
each pulsator with a coating of shale of about three inches in thickness and screened
to such a size that it will not pass through, all the shale which is less in size than
the perforations being removed.
•
At the front or discharge end of the pulsators E, E¹, are fixed dams F and F' ;
the coal having been washed in the pulsators E, passes over the dams F, to the
pulsators E³, and after being again washed passes over the dams F1 to the settling
chamber P.
In order that the necessary motion may be communicated to the pulsators E, E¹,
so that the separation of the coal from the refuse may be effected, the pulsators are
suspended in the compartments A, by rods G, G, to a rocking beam H, the pulsators
being fitted as closely in the compartments as possible, but capable of moving freely
up and down therein; to the beam H, is attached a connecting rod I, having an
eccentric at one end fixed to the main shaft O of the machine; the eccentric c,
is so constructed that it can be readily adjusted to give any desired length of stroke
to suit the kind of coal to be washed.
At one side of each of the pulsators at K and K¹, is a plate d, extending from
under the dams F, F¹, nearly to the perforated plate on the grating, sufficient
space being left as shewn in figure 3 to allow the refuse to pass freely under it ;
a plate b, adjustable to any desired height is screwed to the side or edge of each of
the gratings E and E¹, over which plates the refuse passes to the spaces in the
compartments A under the grating whence it is removed by a worm D, to an
elevator M, whereby it is discharged into any suitable receptacle.
The main shaft O, running at a proper speed gives by means of the eccentric c,
a suitable motion to the pulsators E, E¹, whereby the coal and refuse are separated
by reason of the difference of their specific gravity, the coal being lightest passing
over the dams F, and F¹, and the refuse as described over the plates b, and b¹.
The coal on passing from the washing compartments A falls into the settling
chamber P and is removed by means of a worm and an elevator Q to wagons or
other suitable receptacles; the water after the coal has deposited is returned to
the washing compartments by means of a centrifugal pump and is used again
continuously, but if desired it can be caused to flow away and fresh water can
be supplied to the machine; this however I do not consider necessary.
Where it is desired to discharge the refuse into trams under the washing
compartments A, the said compartments are divided in the manner shewn in
figure 4, the bottom of each division being fitted with a valve to allow the refuse
to escape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained. the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The combination of parts forming the improved machine or apparatus for
washing and purifying coal substantially as hereinbefore described and represented
in the accompanying drawings.
1
100K