An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating Fine Coal Slack from Impurities.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating Fine Coal
Slack from Impurities.
We ARTHUR MARSHALL CHAMBERS, and THOMAS SMITH, both of Chapel-
town, in the County of York, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the fine coal slack accumulating at collieries and other
places, and it has for its object an improved process or method of separating such
fine coal slack from dirt and impurities, and also improved apparatus for putting
such process or method in operation.
The coal slack to be treated consists of comparatively fine particles or pieces in
a dry state, mixed with a more or less large proportion of larger and heavier pieces
or fragments of dirt and impurities of various kinds, which it is important to
separate from the fine slack.
By our invention we supply the mixture which is to be treated, to a hopper of
sufficient size of wood or other suitable material at the upper part of a strong
framework. This hopper has a discharge opening at its lower end closed by a
door, preferably adjustable, through which the mixed material is discharged and
falls upon the upper end of an inclined tray or plate carried by side frames
suspended by rods or otherwise supported so that they are capable of a vibrating
movement backward and forward. The material therefore passes down the inclined
tray, as the latter vibrates, and falls in a sufficiently uniform body from its lower
edge and on to the upper end of a similar inclined tray or plate at a considerable
distance below, which is also carried by the oscillating frames.
Into the space between the lower edge of the upper tray and the upper edge of
the lower tray is directed from behind, a blast of air of sufficient pressure from a
fan or other suitable blower, the blast passing through the falling material and
driving the lighter particles of coal slack forward, whilst only the heavier particles
of dirt and impurities fall upon the lower oscillating tray described.
The light particles of slack which are blown forward fall upon a third inclined
tray or plate also carried by the oscillating frames, down which they pass and from
the lower end of which they fall upon the upper end of a fourth inclined tray or
plate, arranged at a considerable distance below the one from which they fall, and
also carried by the oscillating frames.
The heavier dirt and refuse which falls upon the lower of the two trays or plates
first described passes down the latter and falls upon the upper part of another still
lower tray, being subjected as it falls to the action of another blast of air which
blows out and carries forward any particles of light slack which may still be
present, and from the lower end of the lowest tray the dirt and refuse fall into a
shoot which conveys it to a railway waggon or other receptacle or place.
This shoot may be provided with an adjustable door.
The fine slack carried forward by the second blast of air described falls, together
with that from the first blast of air, upon the upper end of the fourth inclined tray
or plate already described, the lower end of which conducts the cleaned and purified
slack to a shoot down which it passes to a railway waggon or other suitable
receptacle or place.
The upper part of the oscillating frames may be provided with a moveable plate
or cover above the inclined trays or plates.
The oscillation of the frames, and of the trays or plates carried by them, may be
effected by means of an excentric or crank or other equivalent device driven by any

page_text: suitable power, preferably by the steam engine or other power which drives the fan
or air forcing apparatus.
It is evident that any desired number of oscillating trays or plates, and of air
suitable power, preferably by the steam engine or other power which drives the fan
or air forcing apparatus.
It is evident that any desired number of oscillating trays or plates, and of aii
blasts, may be used.
By this invention a rapid, cheap, and effective separation of the fine slack from
dirt and impurities is effected.
Dated this 17th day of December 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating Fine Coal
Slack from Impurities.
We, ARTHUR MARSHALL CHAMBERS, Colliery Owner, and THOMAS SMITH,
Engineer, both of Thorncliffe Ironworks, near Sheffield, in the County of York,
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 and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
Our invention relates to the fine coal slack accumulating at collieries and other
places, and it has for its object an improved process or method of separating such
fine coal slack from dirt and impurities, and also improved apparatus for putting
such process or method in operation. The coal slack to be treated consists of
comparatively fine particles or pieces in a more or less dry state, mixed with a
more or less large proportion of larger and heavier pieces and of fragments of dirt
and impurities of various kinds, which it is important to separate from the fine
slack.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side view partly in section illustrating a form of the apparatus
which we have found very suitable and effective for the purpose required, but it is
understood that it may be modified more or less as hereinafter described without
departing from the principle of our invention.
The mixture which is to be treated is supplied to a hopper a of sufficient size, of
wood or other suitable material, at the upper part of a strong framework b. This
hopper a has a discharge opening c at its lower end closed by a door d, preferably
adjustable, through which the material is discharged and falls upon the upper end
of an inclined tray or plate e carried by side frames suspended by rods for other-
wise supported so that they are capable of a vibrating movement backward and
forward. The material therefore passes down the inclined tray e as the latter
vibrates, and falls in a sufficiently uniform body from its lower edge and on to the
upper end of a similar inclined tray or plate g at a considerable distance below,
which is also carried by the oscillating frames and rods f. Into the space between
the lower edge of the upper tray e and the upper edge of the lower tray y is
directed from behind a blast of air of sufficient pressure from a fan h or other
suitable blower, the blast passing through the air pipe i and through the falling
material and driving the lighter particles of coal slack forward, whilst the heavier
particles and the dirt and impurities fall upon the lower oscillating tray y described.
The lighter particles which are blown forward fall upon a third inclined tray or
plate also carried by the oscillating frames, down which they pass and from the
lower end of which they fall upon the upper end of a fourth inclined tray or plate m
arranged at a considerable distance below the one from which they fall, and also
carried by the oscillating frames.
The heavier particles and the dirt and refuse which fall upon the inclined tray
or plate g first described pass down the latter and fall upon the upper part of another
still lower tray n, being subjected as they fall to the action of another blast of air
from the air pipe i which blows out and carries forward any slack which may still

page_text: be present, and from the lower end of the lowest tray n the dirt and refuse fall
into a shoot o which conveys them to a railway waggon or other receptacle or
place at p.
This shoot may be provided with an adjustable door r..
The slack carried forward by the second blast of air from falls, together
with that from the first blast of air i, upon the upper end of the fourth inclined
tray or plate m, the lower end of which conducts the cleaned and purified slack to
a shoots down which it passes to a railway waggon or other suitable receptacle
or place.
The upper part of the oscillating frames may be provided with a moveable plate
or cover as shewn at t above the inclined trays or plates.
The oscillation of the frames and of the trays or plates carried by them may be
effected by means of an excentric or crank or other suitable equivalent device
driven by any suitable power, preferably by the steam engine or other power which
drives the fan or air forcing apparatus. The slack from the different inclined trays
or plates, may be delivered down corresponding shoots into separate waggons or
receptacles, instead of into the same waggon.
It is evident that any desired number of oscillating trays or plates, and of air
blasts, may be used, and also that the method of construction may be varied more
or less. For instance instance of inclined plates made to vibrate for the purpose of
causing the slack to pass down them as described, inclined hollow cylinders or
shoots made to revolve may be used to obtain the required result.
The slack mixed with dirt, is not only cleaned in passing through the apparatus,
but the slack consisting of pieces of coal of about a certain size, is sifted or
separated into two or more separate sizes, the force of the air being regulated
which blows down the inclined planes, and the shaking or oscillating of the latter
causing the dirt and impurities to be collected at the lower end, whilst by encasing
or enclosing the apparatus the loss of fine particles is prevented. The different
sizes of slack may be delivered separately.
In Figure 2 our invention is shewn applied in a somewhat simpler form, which
would be especially applicable where the coal to he treated is slightly damp or very
dirty. In this case the coal or slack is shewn raised by an elevator v and delivered
into a shoot w whence it passes into the upper end of an inclined cylindrical
screen, made to revolve by any suitable power (as indicated at y)..
The blast of air from the fan h is delivered through the opening z and passes
down and along the screen carrying with it the lighter and cleaner particles of
the slack.
Figure 3 shews a part of similar apparatus, in which an inclined tray or plate A
is substituted for the revolving screen x (Figure 2). This arrangement is more
especially applicable to cases where fine dry dust is being treated, the light fine
coal dust being blown out at B by the air blast, whilst the heavier dirt and refuse
collect upon the inclined plate A, which is provided with transverse partitions D
and with openings and doors at E by which the refuse can be removed when
necessary.
The size and proportions of the several parts, and the quantity of air blast,
and proper inclination of the screen or plate, may be varied more or less, according
to the quantity and weight of the débris which is to be removed from the slack.
By this invention a rapid, cheap, and effective separation of the fine slack from
dirt and impurities is effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :—
1. In apparatus for cleaning and separating coal slack, the use of currents of
air directed as described, in combination with inclined oscillating trays or plates,
inclined revolving screens, or inclined separating chambers, substantially as described
and illustrated.

page_text: 2. In combination with the inclined oscillating tray or plates down which currents
of air are directed, the shoots by which the separated coal, and the dirt are delivered
into waggons or other receptacles, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figure 1.
3. In combination with a hopper or shoot from which the material is supplied,
an inclined revolving cylinder or screen, through which the material passes, and
down which a current of air is directed, substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In the apparatus described in Claim 3, the use instead of a revolving cylinder,
of an inclined plate having transverse partitions, and openings and doors, substan-
tially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 3.
5. The apparatus for the purpose of separating coal slack containing pieces of
coal of various sizes into separate quantities each consisting of pieces of approxi-
mately uniform size, and of separating dirt and impurities from such coal slack,
by means of the regulated force of air blown down one or more inclined planes
along which the coal slack is made to pass, and of shaking apparatus by which the
heavier parts and dirt are made to move and collect at the lower end of the inclined
planes, and covers by which the apparatus is enclosed and the loss of fine particles
of coal prevented substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
Dated this 17th day of September 1892
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.