Improvements in Apparatus for Dressing Tin-ores
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Apparatus for Dressing Tin-ores
I, JOSEPH RULE, of Tehidy Road, Camborne, in the County of Cornwall,
Tin Stream Manager, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for dressing tin-ores and comprises improve-
ments in what are known as packing-boxes, and in or connected with hammers for
"knocking" the same, and for the "knocking" of kieves or other receptacles used
in the dressing of ores.
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In the operation of tin-dressing in Cornwall the tin stuff, after being cleaned and
enriched to a fairly high degree, is called "tin whits" which requires to be calcined
or burnt to get rid of certain impurities and to effect other chemical changes in the
ore. The "whits as prepared is of too liquid a nature to allow of its being taken
from the dressing floors to the calciner or burning house without special treatment;
it is therefore usually spread out and "treaded or packed" by boys until the
larger portion of the water mechanically mixed with it has been got rid of and it
is of a consistency to be handled with shovels and carried in carts. This treading
although still practised is a very primitive way of accomplishing the end.
The chief object of my present invention is to provide means whereby the
operation hereinbefore referred to can be performed mechanically, and for this
purpose I make use of a specially constructed packing-box or platform in con-
junction with which is a hammer operated by a wiper or cam wheel for vibrating
the said packing-box or platform. I also make use of a packing-hammer similar
to that used for knocking the packing-box for knocking the kieves whilst the
material therein is settling.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved packing-box or platform shewing a
hammer and its operating cam in conjunction therewith; and,
Figure 2 is a plan of the said platform:
Figure 3 is a front view of the hammer:
Figure 4 is a view shewing a modified arrangement of the hammer and its
operating cam.
My improved packing platform, which may be of any width and length required,
is preferably constructed of planks a, a of wood, one end of each of which is fitted
into a groove b formed in a cast-iron head or frame c and secured therein by means
of a bolt d. At the edges of the platform thus constructed are flanges e, e for
retaining the material to be treated upon the said platform which in practice may
be arranged horizontally or slightly inclined as desired, the said platform being
advantageously supported upon cross-sleepers or beams f, f at a few inches above
the surface of the ground, as shewn in Figure 1.
9 is the hammer which is carried by the pivots h, h in a suitable bearing and is
operated by the wiper or cam wheel i, the said hammer being adapted to strike
against a projecting piece or bumper" upon the head c so as to cause the
vibration or tremor of the whole platform.
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The tin stuff to be treated is placed upon the platform which is then rapidly
struck by the hammer whereby the tin stuff is caused to collect and settle the water
separated therefrom flowing away. After this treatment the tin stuff can be dealt
with as desired.
Instead of arranging the hammer as shewn in Figure 1, it may be arranged as
shewn in Figure 4, that is to say, it can be pivotted at h beneath the floor, the cam

page_text: for operating it being also beneath the floor, the extent to which the hammer
projects being regulated according to the height at which the object to be struck
is placed.
By arranging the hammer in this manner it will be obvious that the working
parts will not only be protected but the floor space, which is occupied by the parts
when arranged above the surface of the floor, is rendered available.
The hammer arranged and operating in either of the ways hereinbefore described
is also very advantageously employed in conjunction with the kieves, used in
dressing tin-ores. In Figure 4 I have indicated by dotted lines the position of a
kieve relatively with the hammer therein shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved apparatus for use in treating tin-ores consisting of a packing
box or platform upon which the material to be treated is placed and a hammer for
knocking the same, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a packing-box or platform of the kind herein before
described, of a hammer arranged and operating substantiaйy in the manner herein-
before described by reference to Figure 1 or Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. The use in combination with a kieve or like receptacle employed in dressing
tin ores of a hammer arranged and operating substantially in the manner herein-
before described and illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
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Dated the 12th day of June 1893
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.