IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND SEPARATING METALLIFEROUS ORES AND OTHER MINERALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Stenson, Engineer, of Groombridge, near Tun-
66
bridge Wells, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND
SEPARATING METALLIFEROUS ORES AND OTHER MINERALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Stenson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th August 1878.
JOSEPH STENSON, Engineer, of Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND SEPARATING METALLIFEROUS ORES AND OTHER
MINERALS."
•
In my improved process for washing and separating ores I provide a hydraulic
machine, its principal parts being a vertical cylinder having a hopper at its upper
end and a closed vessel at its lower end, which I call a receiver, having fittings and
connections as follows:- provide a cylinder, by preference of iron, and fix it
vertically in a frame of wood or metal. On the top end of this cylinder I place a
hopper which I divide into two nearly equal compartments by placing an iron plate
as a diaphragm across its centre, the top edge of which is fully as high as the sides
of the hopper, and the lower edge of which reaches down to within one to two
inches of the upper end of the cylinder. To one side of this hopper I fix a trough
or launder to receive the mineral matters to be operated upon, and about the centre
of the other side of the hopper and in the opposite compartment I fix a spout to
carry away the minerals herein-after referred to.
I fit the lower end of the cylinder into a water-tight vessel which I call a
receiver, and in the side of this receiver and near the top I insert one end of a pipe
furnished with a stop-cock or valve having a figured index to its lever. I connect
the other end of this pipe to the delivery main of a forcing pump, or by preference
to a pipe in connection with a cistern or other head of water having a gravitating
pressure equal to not less than 25 to 30 feet high.
I also provide a valve or door to the bottom of the receiver which may be opened
or closed at intervals when emptied of its contents.

page_text: I take the mass of metalliferous ores as delivered from a pair of rollers or crushers,
such as are in ordinary use for crushing and pulverizing ores, furnace cinders, or
other mineral matters, and I pass it through a revolving cylinder fixed in nearly
a horizontal position. I divide the revolving cylinder into sectional compartments
having wirework of different mesh to each section so as to assort the mineral matters
into masses of various sizes; such cylinders are in common use.
I feed the revolving cylinder or sieve at its highest end, and that portion of
minerals under operation which are too large to pass the wirework are delivered
out at the lower end of the cylinder into the hopper of my improved hydraulic
separator, and I operate upon it and separate the heaviest metalliferous portion from
the lightest and worthless portion in the manner following:-I open the stop-cock
or valve so far as to admit a stream of water into the receiver and upwards through
the cylinder until it flows away through the spout on the outlet side of the hopper.
I now feed the separator with the crushed minerals; the metalliferous portion of
which having a greater specific gravity than the gangue or more earthy portion
renders care necessary in adjusting the velocity of the stream so as to allow the
heaviest particles to fall into the receiver below while the lightest particles are
floated away through the spout on the outlet side of the hopper above.
In some cases I place two or more of these hydraulic separators in connection
with each other so that the outlet spout of the first separator shall deliver its
surplus contents into the hopper of the next below it; but in this arrangement I
make the cylinder of the first one the smallest, the next below larger, and so on
through the series, and thus I reduce the velocity of the rising column of water in
each consecutively; the heaviest particles of ore are thus secured in the first
receiver, the next lighter portions in the second, and so on through the series
whatever number may be used.
In treating the finest portion of the minerals which have passed through the
finest wire sieve of the revolving cylinder 1 pass it through one or more of the
separators in which the upward stream has a very slow velocity, to allow the finest
portion of the ore to sink through the almost stagnant water into the receivers, thus
securing the richest portion of the slimes."
In all cases during the process of separation the metalliferous portion of the
minerals falls into the receivers, and the earthy worthless portion is floated away
through the spouts as waste.
With the view of obtaining a uniform result I provide and fix a pressure gauge to
the pipe between the stop-cock and the receiver, and when this is once adjusted to
the pressure and correct action of the machine the lever of the stop-cock is uniformly
opened to the same figure on the index. This, however, is supposing that the
pressure is constant and uniform.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Stenson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February
1879.
JOSEPH STENSON, Engineer, of Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells.
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND SEPARATING METALLIFEROUS ORES AND
MINERALS."
.
(Fig. 1 being a sectional elevation; and Fig. 2, part sectional plan.)
IM-
OTHER
I fix a cylinder A, by preference of iron, but sometimes of glass, vertically in a
frame of wood or metal. On the top of this cylinder a hopper B is placed, which I
divide into two nearly equal compartments by placing an iron plate as a diaphragm C
across its centre. This diaphragm is adjustable to suit varying heights, the top end
being a little higher than the sides of the hopper, and the lower end a few inches.
above the upper end of the cylinder. To one side, and near the top of the said
hopper, fix a trough or launder to receive the mineral matter to be operated upon,
and a little lower than the centre of the other side of the hopper and in the opposite
compartment I fix a spout to carry off a portion of the minerals with the current of
water flowing upwards through the cylinder herein-after referred to.
I fit the lower end of the cylinder into the cover of a water-tight vessel D
provided with a sloping bottom which I call a receiver, and in one side of this
receiver and near the top I insert one end of a pipe E furnished with a stop-cock F
or valve having a figured index under the point of its lever. I connect the other
end of this pipe E to the delivery main of a force pump, or by preference to a pipe
in connection with a cistern or supply having a gravitating pressure of water equal
to twenty-five or thirty feet high.
I also provide a valve, or plug G, or door to the front at the lowest part of the
bottom of the receiver which may be opened or closed at intervals when the receiver
is being emptied of its contents.
I take the metalliferous mass of minerals as reduced and pulverized by stampers,
rollers, or other means in ordinary use, and pass the same through a revolving
cylinder or sieve divided into a series of compartments by wirework of varying
fineness, as commonly used in sifting orey matters, and treat each portion so divided
into different sizes by itself.
In operating upon the separate masses of sifted minerals and ores the stop-cock
being partly opened admits a stream of water into the receiver and upwards until it
issues at the spout on the outlet side of the hopper. I now feed the launder If
or hopper of the separator with the crushed and sifted minerals, the inetalliferous
portions or ores of which having a greater specific gravity than the rocky matters,
gangue, or more earthy portions, care is required in adjusting by means of the stop-
cock the velocity of the stream so as to allow the heaviest particles or ores to fall
into the receiver below, while the lightest particles are floated away through the
spout on the outlet side of the hopper above.
In order to obtain uniformity in feeding I fix a spindle I in the launder furnished
with iron feathers or studs, each one so twisted as when turned to urge the mineral
matters forward into the hopper B.
In some cases I place two or more of these separators in connection with each
other so that the outlet spout of the first separator shall deliver its surplus contents
into the launder or hopper of the next below it; but in this arrangement I make
the cylinder of the first one the smallest, the next below larger, and so on through the
series of separators, and thus I reduce the velocity of the rising column of water in each
consecutively, or I allow a less quantity of water to pass through cylinders of equal
size in consecutive order, and thus reduce the velocity of the rising current. The
heaviest particles of ore are thus secured in the first receiver, the next lighter
particles in the second, and so on through the series of separators whatever
number may be used.

page_text: In treating the finest portion of the minerals and metalliferous particles which
have passed through the wire sieve of finest mesh of the cylinder or other sieves I
pass it through one or more of the separators in which the upward stream has a
very slow velocity, to allow the finest portion of the ore to sink through the not
stagnant but slowly rising water into the receiver, thus securing the richest and
finest portions of the ores contained in what is known as or termed "shines" or
halvans."
In all cases during the process of separation the metalliferous portion of the
minerals is intended to fall into the receivers, and the earthy portion is ultimately
floated away through the spouts as waste.
With the view of obtaining a uniform result I provide and fix a pressure gauge
to the pipe between the stop-cock and the receiver, which when once adjusted to
the pressure and correct action of the arrangements or apparatus the figure or index
is noted and the lever of the stop-cock is afterwards uniformly opened to the same
figure on the index. This, however, is assuming that the water pressure is constant
and uniform.
When a glass cylinder in lieu of iron is used for the purposes before set forth a
pressure gauge is not required, as the motion or action of the minerals is observable
within the said glass cylinder.
Fig. 3 shows a sectional elevation of a modified form of my improvements; Fig. 4,
sectional plan of same.
These Figures show two pipes or chambers or cylinders as used, A (see Fig. 4)
being of square form, and B of rectangular form.
The mineral matter to be separated is filled into the trough or launder D' at C,
and a stream of water admitted by pipe D to wash the mineral matter or stuff
through the aperture E below the diaphragm F. The stuff is carried. forward into
the sloping launder D¹ towards the outlet end G.
In passing over the cylinder or pipe A the heaviest matters or ores fall into the
receiver H, and the next lighter ores into the receiver I. The lightest of all being
minerals only are carried away by the outlet at G with the waste water which rises
as before described through the pipes or chambers A and B.
The receivers H and I are in form the same as shown in Fig. 1, and are
furnished with pipes, stop-cocks, and index, as shewn, and for the purpose before
described.
The launder D¹ it is to be noted is fixed in a sloping form or decline so as to
give a little fall to the stuff as it passes along the launder and over the pipes or
chambers A and B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that 1 claim the Invention of "Improvements in Washing
and Separating Metalliferous Ores and other Minerals," substantially as the same
is herein-before set forth and described, and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Stenson, have hereunto set my hand
Witness,
LAT. GEO. CROSSE,
Groombridge,
Gent".
JOSEPH STENSON. (L.S.)