Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Grading or Sorting Granular Material, Grain, or Fluids.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct, 1896
PRUVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Grading or Sorting
Granular Material, Grain, or Fluids.
1, THOMAS GRAHAM MARTYN of 4. The Avenue, Truro, in the County of
Cornwall, AR S.M, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the separation and grading, sorting of
classifying of various substances or liquids such for example as materials of different
specific gravity or particles of different sizes suspended in water or otherwise.
The apparatus is also applicable for the separation of mixed liquids of different
specific gravity.
In caying into practice the first part of this invention, a tank or vessel is
employed, which is divided into compartments by vertical partitions parallel to
each other and preferably of a depth several times greater than the spaces which
separate them; these partitions do not reach to the bottom of the tank. One of the
compartments thus formed is employed as a receiver, for instance for a stream of
liquid charged with suspended matter; the others are employed for discharging
the hquid with the greatest possible uniformity from the tank; to this end they
may be if desired subdivided by transverse partitions
The receiving compartment may if desired be provided with means for distributing
the incoming steam as uniformly throughout its interior as may be needful.
The discharge compartments are provided with pipes or launders arranged near
the top of each in such manner as to withdraw the liquid as evenly as possible, and
to this end they may be provided with means such as valves or plugs for regulating
at will the amount withdrawn by each pipe or launder at each part of its
length.
The bottom of the tank may be provided with doors for the intermittent removal
of material which will settle or deposit thereon out of the liquid or with a screw or
other form of conveyor and elevator which conld effect the continuous removal of
the same, but if the material removed from the tank is destined for further
treatment it is preferable to employ, for fine material, a continuous discharge in a
sufficient stream of liquid, which may be either a portion of that in which the
matter was originally suspended, or may be obtained from an independent souice.
This discharge can be effected by sloping the bottom of the tank as much as may be
necessary towards the point from which the discharge is to take place, and there
providing outlet pipes or channels capable of control and leading to as high a point
as may be desired, consistent with the existing head of liquid and the class of
material under treatment.
If an independent Etieam of liquid 18 employed for the discharge, it is admitted
at or near the point where the outlet is connected with the tank, and must be under
a pressure greater than that of the liquid in the tank.
The best results are obtained by making the whole apparatus as deep as
circumstances will permit, and by restricting the passages and outlets in such a
manner that in each division of the apparatus as great a head as is practicable is
obtained to secure the necessary flow; thus constructed the operation of the
apparatus will be least affected by temporary fluctuations in the quantity of solid
oi liquid matter passing through it.
The receiving compartment for instance may be advantageously restricted at the

page_text: bottom or outlet so that the liquid stands in it at say a foot above the level of the
liquid m the 1est of the tank, whilst the outlet pipes for the clatified liquid may be
immersed so that the liquid enters them a foot below the surface, the compartments
themselves being made deeper to such an extent that there may always be beneath
the pipes or launders a sufficient depth in each compartment to ensure the rise of
the liquid in an approximately steady vertical stream.
When an independent stream is employed for the discharge its inlet and outlet
should also if practicable be arranged on this principle.
Where from local conditions it is necessary to have the outlets only slightly
lower than the inlets the effects of temporary fluctuation in the incoming stream
may be to some extent obviated by making the tank and compartments very
deep.
In order to classify the material 1 employ a tank arranged as alıcady described
or otherwise according to the state of the material to be treated, having a bottom
which slopes towards one of the sides (hereafter to be referred to as the front of
the tank) this side being preferably vertical The other sides may be vertical oi
inclined or part vertical and part inclined, according to the requirements of different
materials. The front of the tank does not quite meet the sloping bottom but
leaves a space through which the falling material is passed on to a perforated on
partially perforated false bottom in another part of the apparatus now to be
described Though this bottom flow suitably-controlled currents of clear wate
or other suitable liquid admitted from beneath.
Above the false bottom are placed successive rows of vertical trunks or pipes,
the lower ends of which do not quite each the false bottom but are situated at
greater or less distances above it as may be found desirable.
At or near the tops of these trunks or pipes nic provided suitable outlets which
are so adjusted or adjustable as to secure suitable velocities of current for carrying
up in the pipes nearest the tank the fine or lighter and in those more remote from
it the coarser or heavier particles of the material. An outlet or outlets may be
provided at or near the lowest point furthest removed from the tank, for discharging
such stuff as may be too heavy or too coarse to be readily discharged by an up-
current. All the vertical pipes or lows of pipes or trunks, in auf one sees have
approximately the same velocity of up-cutient and discharge into one common
launder or receptacle whence the material may be conducted continuously to any
suitable ore dressing machine such as that subsequently to be described. Thus,
one or more rows of pipes nearest the front of the tank have outlets so regnlated
that the velocity of up current in each of them is approximately the same and is
compaintively feeble. These all discharge into one launder or receptacle and sei ve
to remove the finest and lightest of the material.
These may be followed by one or more similar sets of pipes each set having an
increased but approximately uniform upward curent and discharging into a separate
laundei.
The clear water supply under each set of pipes may be independently controlled.
To this end vertical divisions may be made in the space between the perforated
false bottom and the real bottom of the apparatus, corresponding to the distances
between the sets of pipes above; a separately controlled stream of water under
suitable pressure being admitted to each chamber thus provided.
The maternal delivered by each one of the several launders will consist of particles
which would all have an approximately equal velocity of fall in water, hence in
each class the specifically heavier grains will be finer than those specifically lighter.
Sieves on screens of suitable mesh may be used to separate the heavy finer grams
from the lighter and coarse grams but for this purpose I propose to use in
combination with the above descubed apparatus an improved form of buddle or
concentrator which is designed to retain a ich concentrate on its bed whilst
continuously working off the waste material. It may however be used in combination
with existing buddles. The improved concentrator or buddle consists of an annular
trough or a series of concentric annular troughs having a slight fall from one to the

page_text: other, either the outside or the inside one being lughest and each of the others
being lower in succession. The dividing walls between successive tioughs are short
vertical cylinders the top edges being truly horizontal. An agitator, sturer or
rake is dragged around in each trough by any suitable means The material to be
treated is evenly distributed by any suitable apparatus on to the highest trough of
the series being conveyed in a stream of water which flows over into the next and
so on over each in succession. Most of the solid particles are deposited in the first
trough until it becomes full after which the lighter particles are continuously
washed over into the next, whilst the heavier particles gradually sink to the bottom
of the fist trough. This action takes place the more readily when the material
under treatment has been previously classified in the apparatus already described,
because in such material the specifically heavier particles are finer than the lighter
particles hence they (the specifically heavier finei particles) fall the more readily
into the spaces between the specifically lighter coarse particles. As the heavy
material accumulates in the first tiongh more and more of it becomes liable to be
washed over into the next but here again it tends to find its way rapidly to the
bottom It may often happen that there are particles present of sevcial kinds
having different specific gravities. In such a case the lightest is first washed over
into the second trough being followed and displaced by the next in order of specific
gravity and so on until eventually the first though is filled with the heaviest
material and the next trough with the inaterial next in order of specific gravity. the
lightest of all being allowed to wash over the edge of the last of the series and
away to any desued place The material thus divided into classes according to
specific gravity may be cleared out of the troughs by any suitable means and be
subjected to any further treatment that may be necessary.
This part of the invention may be applied to existing buddles by making a trough
or troughs in the raised part from which the stuff flows on to the bed and attaching
a suitable stirrer or stiers to the distributing or the brush aims which are suitably
atiengthened.
The settling, separating and concentrating devices before descubel may be used
apart or in combination and may be used in combination with any other machinery
employed in dressing ores grain and other materials The before described
apparatus may be modified without departing from the essential features of this
invention
Dated this 17th day of October 1895.
BUULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Grading or Sorting
Granular Material, Grain, or Fluids.
I, THOMAS GRAHAM MARTYN of 4 The Avenue, Truro, in the County of
Cornwall, A.R.S.AL., do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 apparatus for the separation and grading, soiting ou
classifying of various substances or liquids, such for example as materials of
different specific gravity or particles of different sizes suspended m water or other-
WISC. The apparatus is also applicable for the separation of mixed liquids of
different specific gravity.
In carrying into practice the first part of this invention, for the separation from
a liquid of the material in suspension therein, or for separating the lighter from
the dense constituents of a mixture of liquids, a tank or vessel is employed,

page_text: which is divided into compartments by vertical partitions parallel to each other and
preferably of a depth several times greater than the spaces which separate them;
these partitions do not reach to the bottom of the tank. One of the compartments
thus forined is employed as a receiver, for instance for a stream of liquid charged
with suspended matter, the others are employed for discharging the liquid with
the greatest possible uniformity from the tank, to this end they may be it desned
subdivided by transverse partitions, and they should have restricted outlets.
The receiving compai tment may if desned be provided with means for
distributing the incoming stream as uniformly thoughout its interior as may be
needful.
The discharge compartments are provided with perforated or other pipes or
launders arranged neat the top of each in such manner as to withdraw the hquid
as evenly as possible, and to this end they may be provided with means such as
valves or plugs for regulating at will the amount withdrawn by each pipe or
launder at each part of its length O as alternatives each compartment of each
division of a compartment may be provided with discharge nozzles of suitable
dimensions, which are readily removable and capable of being replaced by others
to suit variations in the volume of liquid desued to be treated in the apparatus.
It is essential that the velocity of the up-cuntent in each division of all the
discharge compartments should be the same, Where a perforated pipe is employed
the perforations may be plugged to vary the discharge.
The bottom of the tank may be provided with doors for the intermittent removal
of material winch will settle oi deposit thereon out of the liquid, or with a sciew
or other form of conveyor and elevator which could effect the continuous removal
of the same, but if the material removed from the tank is destined for further
treatment it is preferable to employ, for fine material, a continuous discharge in a
sufficient stream of liquid, which may be either a portion of that in which the
matter was originally suspended, or may be obtained from an independent source.
This discharge can be effected by sloping the bottom of the tank as much as may
be necessary towards the point fion which the discharge is to take place, and there
providing outlet pipes on channels capable of control and leading to as high a point
as may be desued, consistent with the existing head of liquid and the class of
material under treatment
If an independent sti cam of liquid is employed for the discharge, it is admitted
at or near the point where the outlet is connected with the tank, and must be under
a pressure greater than that of the liquid in the tank.
The best results are obtained by making the whole apparatus as deep as
cncumstances will permit, and by restricting the passages and outlets in such a
manuel that in each division of the apparatus as great a head as 18 practicable is
obtained to secure the necessary flow, thus constructed the operation of the
apparatus will be least affected by temporary fluctuations in the quantity of solid
or liquid matter passing through it.
The receiving compartment for instance may be advantageously restricted at the
bottom or outlet so that the liquid stands in it at say a foot above the level of the
liquid in the rest of the tank, whilst the outlet pipes for the claulied liquid may be
immersed so that the liquid enters them a foot below the surface, the compartments
themselves being made deeper to such an extent that there may always be beneath
the pipes o launders a sufficient depth in each compartment to ensure the use of
the liquid in an approximately steady and unito in vertical streain, the maintenance
of these steady and unifoni vertical streams is essential to the efhcient operation
of the apparatus
When an independent stream is employed for the discharge its inlet and outlet
should also if practicable be arranged on this punciple.
Where from local conditions it is necessary to have the outlets only slightly lower
than the inlets the effects of temporary fluctuation in the incoming stream inay be
to some extent obviated by making the tank and compartment very deep.
1
In order to classify material such as might be sepainted out by the apparatus

page_text: herembefore described, but which might on the other hand be supplied for treat-
ment quite independently of that apparatus I employ the tank arranged as already
described or any suitable supply hopper or chamber according to the state of the
material to be treated (.e according to whether it is wet or dry), having a bottom
which slopes towards one of the sides hereafter to be referred to as the front of the
tank, this side being preferably vertical. The other sides may be vertical or
inclined or part vertical and part inclined, according to the requirements of
different materials. The front of the tank does not quite meet the bottom but
leaves a space through which the falling material passes or is passed over a series
of perforated pipes, oi on to a perforated or partially perforated false bottom or
over some other series of water inlets in another part of the apparatus now to be
described. In this other part of the apparatus the material meets suitably-
controlled currents of clear water or other suitable liquid sing upward, towards
successive lows of vertical trunks or pipes, the lower ends of which do not quite
Leach the openings by which the liquid is admitted but are situated at greater or
less distance above them as may be found desnable.
At or near the tops of these trunks or pipes are provided suitably restricted
outlets which are so adjusted or adjustable as to secure suitable velocities of current
for carrying up in the pipes nearest the tank the finer or lighter, and in those more
1emote from it, the coarse o heavier particles of the material.
An ontlet or
outlets may be provided at or near the lowest point fun thest removed from the
tank, for discharging such stuff as may be too heavy or too coarse to be readily
discharged by an up-cument. All the vertical pipes oi trunks equidistant from the
front of the tank form one series and have approximately the same velocity of
up-current and may discharge into one common launder on receptacle whence the
inaterial may be conducted continuously to any suitable ore-dressing machine.
Two 01 mole 10ws of pipes in succession may have the same velocity of current
and discharge into the same launder. Thus, one or more lows of pipes neatest
the front of the tank have outlets so regulated that the velocity of up-current in
each of them is approximately the same and is comparatively feeble.
These scive
to remove the finest and lightest of the material.
These may be followed by one or more similar sets of pipes each set having an
increased but approximately uniform upward current and discharging into a separato
launder.
The clear water supplied under each set or under each series of pipos inay be
independently controlled. To this end vertical divisions may be provided on the
bottom of the apparatus corresponding to the divisions between the sets or series
of pipes above; a separately controlled stream of water under suitable pressure
being admitted to each chamber thus provided.
The material delivered by each one of the several launders will consist of
particles which would all have an approximately equal velocity of fall in water,
hence in each class the specifically heavier grains will be finer than those specifically
lighter Sieves oi screens of suitable mesh may be used to separate the heavy
finer grains from the lighter and coarse grains, or existing buddles, frames, vanners,
or other appliances may be used for further treatment.
The apparatus may be employed for separating liquids of different specific
gravity by discarding some or all the openings for the admission of quid whereby
the granula matcial in the former instance was carried into the vertical trunks;
but for dealing with liquids it may be convenient to retain some of these inlets
either for a propulsive fluid or a reagent.
The separating or classifying devices before described may be used in com-
bmation with any other machinery employed in diessing ores grain and other
material. The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from
the essential features of this invention.
In the accompanying diawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of one construction of the improved
apparatus according to this invention;

page_text: Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the diawings.
A tank A having one of its sides A 1 sloping, is divided into two portions B
and C At the top of the compartment. B 15 ariauged a perforated giate B1. The
compartment C has its wall C I brought down within a short distance of the side A 1
of the tank, there being injection devices for fluid in the bottom part of the tank,
if deened, to aid in propelling its contents towards the chamber D hereinafter
referred to, the upper portion of this second compartment is divided by a series of
dongitudinal and transverse partitions C2 all vertical (Fig 2) to a number of
pipes or trunks, constituting channels C 4 preferably of equal length, which lead
ibionghestiicted openings or nozzles C3 in the upper ends into a slime
11ough E, provided with a movable cover E1. Restriction of the openings at
the upper ends of the channels C4 may be effected other wise than by nozzles, fol
instance they may be partly blocked by launders into which they overflow The
nozzles C3 project a short distance above the floot of the slime trough E The
front D1 of the tank A is brought down in a similar manner to the wall C1 to
within a short distance of the side A1 or bottom of the tank thus leaving an
entiance D4 to the base chamber D which contains a series of horizontal per-
forated pipes or equivalent fluid-injection devices, preferably separated by
partitions A 2. and which cairies, over each perforated pipe, a set of vertical pipes
or trunks D2, provided with nozzles D3 or other wise restricted at the upper
ends and emptying into a series of troughs F from which the classified materials
are continuously discharged.
The nozzles D3 may be removed and large or smalle nozzles inserted to vary
the ute of discharge.
Each set of pipes may be removed aud replaced by another set having larger or
smaller nozzles, or being of different height or area. The pipes where they meet
the chamber Daie rendered water tight by suitable packing. A-movable covoi F1
is arranged to fit over all these troughs F, to catch and deflect down the water
splashed up delivered in jets from the nozzles D3 The pipes J all commu-
nicate witli a main water pipe K, being each provided with suitable cocks J 1, sce
Fig. 2
The partition walls A 2 are preferably arranged to carry removable
lips A 3 upon their upper edges as shown in Fig. 1, these lips being adapted for
removal and replacement by others of different height or width so that the area of
cross-sectional form or size of the water way over the tops of the same, from one
compartiment into the next may be readily varied. It is a convenience to be able
thus to vary the water way, for in dealing with different classes of material some
of the pipes D2 may need to be put out of action together with the corresponding
perforations in the pipes J below them, when it would become necessary to limit
the flow of material over the edges of the partitions to suit the number of pipes D2
remaining in action.
By varying the amount of liquid delivered into the apparatus through the
perforated pipes J the passage of material through the water way above the top of
any one lip A3 may be regulated, that is to say, assuming that in the course of
working it is discovered that material is using in say the second series of pipes D2
which ought not to get into them, but instead should use only in the preceding
series, the passage of this material over the lip on its way to the second series may
be hindered on prevented by increasing the supply of water to the inlet immediately
below that second series, or to the inlet appropriated to any one of the succeeding
series. This will result in the setting up of an opposing force or counter cullent
which will effect wholly or in part the desued diversion of material into the proper
Berics. The limit to this mode of correcting the working is reached when the
counter curient become sufficiently strong to prevent the passage over the lips of
material which the first series cannot carry up; this would cause a total stoppage
of the action of the apparatus.
An inlet launder L lends the material for treatment on to the perforated

page_text: grate B 1, though which it passes into the compartment B and thence into the
compartment C. The slime ises with the liquid in which it is suspended through
the nozzles C 3 and is discharged into and along the trough E while the other
materials pass on inte the base chamber D and are projected by jets of liquid from
the pipes J, into the mouths of the pipes A 2 of the first series through which the
finci and lighter particles 11se and are discharged into the first of the troughs F,
the rougher and beavier passing over the first of the lips A 3 and being subjected
in like manner to the action of the succeeding jets and vertical cuiients.
A series of pipes G leads from the last compartment A 4 in the base chamber D
to a trough II, through which the residue is conveyed away Below this last
series is a perforated diaphragm A 5 in which perforations A. 6 are so disposed that
one perforation comes immediately under each pipe G. At the end of the space
below the diaphragm is one of the screw plugs J2 01 a perforated wooden plug, to
enable any material which deposits there to be withdiawn when desired The
supply pipe J to this last compartment A 4 merely enters the same te does not
extend night across it. A cap or plug J2, which may be readily removed is fitted
to the end of each of the other pipes J to facilitate the cleaning of these pipes by
the insertion of a pipe-biush It is obvious that the details above described may
be varied considerably, without departing from the spirit of the invention, thus,
for example, the tank may if desired be divided into a greater number of com-
partments, and the position of these with regard to the sloping side of the tank
may be varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertamed the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what mauue the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware
of proposals to divide a stream of fluid into a series of smaller streams in au
apparatus from whence their efflux is 1ctarded, in order to classify gianular material
according to its size and specific gravity, and I make no claim to such a division of
a stream of fluid applied to such a process of classification, but what I claim is
-
1. In apparatus for separating granular material from a fluid in which it is
suspended, or for separating a heavy fluid from a lighter one restricting the outlet
for the major portion of the fluid in the former process or for the lighter fluid in
the latter process.
2 In apparatus for separating granular material from a fluid in which it is
suspended, or for separating a heavy fluid from a lighter one, dividing the entering
stream into a series of smaller ascending streams whose efflux is ietaided.
3 In apparatus for separation processes of the kinds described, a tank or vessel
part of which is sub-divided into vertical channels C4 of considerable depth
relatively to their cross sectional area, said channels opening at the lower ends
into the tank or vessel and having restricted openings at the upper ends, operating
substantially as and for the put pose described.
4 In apparatus for separation processes of the kinds described, the combination
with a vertical tube D2 having a restricted outlet, of a sticam of material for-
treatment delivered across the lower end of the tube, and a stream of fluid simul-
taneously directed upward from below the transverse stream of material towards or
into the lower end of the tube.
5. In apparatus for separation-processes of the kinds described, the combination
with a chamber, of a vertical tube D2 having a restricted outlet, means to con-
tinuously deliver across the lower end of the tube the material foi treatment, and
devices to duect for the purpose specified a stream of fluid from the bottom of the
chamber towards or into the lower end of the tube or to otherwise produce agitation.
below said eud substantially as described.
6. In apparatus for separation-processes of the kinds described, the combination
with a chamber, of a vertical tube D2 having a restricted outlet, means to con-
tinuously deliver across the lower end of that tube the material foi treatment,.
means for producing a current running counter to that of the material for treatment,
and devices to dect for the purpose specified a stream of fluid from the bottom of

page_text: the chamber towards or into the lower end of the tube or to otherwise produce
agitation below said end substantially as described.
7. In apparatus for separation-processes of the kinds described, the combination
with several vertical tubes D 2 or several series of tubes, at different distances from
the inlet of material for treatment and having restricted outlets of a stream of
material for treatment delivered continuously across the lower ends of those tubes
and fluid or other devices below those tubes to prevent the settlement of granular
material beneath them with or without counter currents for the purpose descubed.
8. In apparatus for separation-processes of the hinds described, the combination
with a tank or vessel sub-divided into channels C 4, with restricted outlets, of a
tube or tubes D2 and co-operating hou izontal and vertical streams below the tubes,
with or without partitions A 2 substantially as described.
9. In apparatus for separation-processes of the hinds described, a chamber D and
tube D2 so constructed that the latter is readily removable from the former, for
the purpose described.
10. In apparatus for separation-processes of the kinds described the combination
with the chamber D of partitions A 2 having removable lips A3 for the purpose
specified.
11. In apparatus for separation-processes of the kinds described, the employment
of jets of find for the purpose of propelling the material from the bottom of the
vessel A into the chamber D or its equivalent.
12. In apparatus of the kind described, hydraulic discharge apparatus such
as A4 A5 A6 G II substantially as and for the purpose described.
13. The complete apparatus for sepainting and grading sorting or classifying,
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying diawings.
Datel this 17th day of L1 1902
T. GRAHAM MARTYN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
T. GRAHAM MARTYN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.