IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND SEPARATING PULVERIZED ORES AND MATTERS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Zenner, of the Town and County of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, Practical Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WASHING AND SEPARATING PULVERIZED ORES AND MATTERS."-A com-
munication.
Sealed the 4th March 1856, and dated the 15th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Zenner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th September
1855.
I, DAVID ZENNER, of the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Practical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND SEPARATING PULVERIZED ORES AND MATTERS"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a circular table moving on its own axis. The
surface of the table inclines inwards from the outer circumference. The ores
or matters, having been reduced to powder, are held mechanically suspended
in a stream of water, which is allowed to fall on the centre of the table; the
water is thrown off at the circumference, and the ores or matters deposit on
the table in the order of their specific gravity, and, by the aid of brushes or
instruments, the separated matters are delivered at the edge of the table into
boxes or receptacles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Zenner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
ZENNER, of the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Practical Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Zenner, Her special licence that 1, the said David Zenner, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Zenner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND
SEPARATING PULVERIZED ORES AND MATTERS," a communication, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said David Zenner, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Zenner, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say -
The Invention consists of a table (circular or polygonal) moving or rotating
on its own axis, and the surface of which inclines inwards from the outer
circumference. The ores or matters held in mechanical suspension in water
are allowed to fall on the table at or near to the centre, from whence they are
carried by the force of the current towards the outer edge, and during the
passage the ores or matters are kept in agitation, and are delivered by means
of certain brushes, or other appliances of a similar nature, as herein-after
described, into any required number of compartments or receptacles in the

page_text: order of the different sizes of the grains, and the specific gravity of the com-
ponent parts of the ores or matters respectively.
But in order that the Invention may be better understood and more fully
explained, I have attached to these Presents a Sheet of Drawings, of a scale of
about half an inch to the foot, and having the same letters referring to similar
parts of the apparatus in the two Figures shewn. Figure 1 represents a
longitudinal sectional elevation from p, B, of Figure 2, which is a plan view;
A being a moveable upright shaft or axis, to which is fixed centrally, by means
of a proper frame and supports, the surface of the table B, which has a
decline from the centre towards the circumference of about six inches; but
such declination may vary, according to the matters it is intended to separate.
The table or surface of incline may be of different diameters, and be made of
wood, sheet iron, zinc, lead, gutta percha, or any other suitable material, or
any combination of suitable materials; and such table or surface may either
be smooth, as shewn in the Drawing, or grooved, fluted, or corrugated; or the
surface of the table may be covered with baize, blankets, cloth, skins, or other
suitable material, or left without any cover; C being a sheave attached to.
the axle A, by which with a band the table is set in motion; but other means
of communicating motion may be used. E' and E2 is a circular gutter, the
bottom of which is either grated or perforated with holes, and which is divided
into two unequal compartments, of which the smaller one E' takes about one
quarter of its area, and which receives, by means of the spout L, the matters
to be treated, which are held in suspension in water, and delivers them on to
the table; the larger compartment, marked E, takes the remaining three
quarters of its area; but such division is purely arbitrary, and may be varied as
required; and it is supplied by means of the spout m with a stream of water,
which it delivers and distributes also on to the table. But other suitable
means to supply the table with the mixed matters and water may be used,
such as pipes and roses, or others. f, g, h, and i are brushes, for the purpose
of keeping the matters in agitation while passing through under them; and
they may be made of different suitable materials, such as broom or heather, as
shewn in Figure f; whalebone, Figure g; bristles, h and i; pieces of cloth,
&c.; and any other number of brushes may be used at suitable distances as
may be required, according to the matters to be treated. k is a moeavble
brush, which is set in motion by an eccentric, marked D, and it is held in its
position by guide rods. In its stead, a chain of brushes revolving around
sheaves, or a scraper, or any other suitable means, may be used. n, n, is a
supplementary waterspout, to furnish the parts of the table over which it

page_text: passes with additional streams of water; 0, 0, p, p, q, q, r, r, are spouts or
compartments, which are placed below the edge of the table to receive and
deliver the separated matters mixed with water falling from the edge of the
table; Y, W, Z, being the framework to which the different parts are attached,
as well understood.
I shall now explain the manner in which I use the apparatus. The table
being set in motion in either direction of the arch, I allow to fall upon it
through the gutter E¹ the matters held in suspension with water, which in con-
sequence of the decline will run towards the circumference, and the water will
carry with it over the edge of the moveable table, and into the partition of the
receiving spouts, marked o, o, the lightest particles; the table keeping on its
course, moves the remaining matters towards and under the part of the spout
marked E, from which a stream of water is distributed over it, which in its
downward course carries with it another part of the particles, which falls
over the edge of the table into the receiving spouts p. p. The table in
its further onward course brings the matters under a succession of brushes
of different closeness and hardness, which by keeping the matters in agitation
expose it more effectually to the current of water from the gutter E², which
current may be aided and increased by the supplementary spout n, or other
suitable means; these currents carry again a certain quantity of matters
over the edge of the table into the receiving spout q, q. After it has passed
some distance from under the last fixed brush i, it will lose but little more
matter by the currents of water alone, and it passes on to the moveable
brush K, or any other suitable apparatus for the ultimate removal of the
remaining part of the matters into the spout r, r, (and this completes one
revolution of the table,) when this part of the table arrives again under the
part of the gutter E' to receive another quantity of mixed matter in suspension,
and so on, ad infinitum. But it must be clearly understood that the process
of supplying the table with matters and water is not intermittent, but, on
the contrary, a continuous one, so that at the same time each and every part
of the table as it revolves is covered with a part of matter or matters in the
different states of mixture or partial separation, and which is continually
and gradually passing on to the next stage of the process of separation, as
above described.
Having thus explained the manner in which I use the incline table to
separate pulverized ores or matters into two (or more than two) different
kinds or qualities, I would state that I do not confine myself to the details
herein set forth; but I claim the application of a revolving table inclining

page_text: inwards from the outer circumference for washing or separating metallic ores
or other matters when in the state of division or partial pulverization and
mechanically suspended in liquids.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Zenner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
JOHN DICKINSON LEATHART,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
DAVID ZENNER. (L.S.)