IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SEPARATION OF ORES AND MINERAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, FREDERICK JOHN KING of 6 Bishopsgate Avenue in the City of London
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE SEPARATION OF ORES AND MINERAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN to be as follows:-
"7
My Invention relates to the separation of metals, minerals and mineral products
which are naturally magnetic or have been made so by previous treatment from
those which are non-magnetic.
In treating ores such for example as the mixed tin ores of Cornwall the ores are
now stamped to a very fine state of division and then calcined by which process
the Pyrites which usually accompanies these ores is made lighter and washed away.
In this process of washing a considerable proportion of the fine tin is washed down
the rivers and lost to the mine owners.
One of the objects of my Invention is to separate the tin ores from the iron thus
made magnetic by a dry method.
In the process of burning the ore the pyrites becomes oxydised to a condition in
which it is capable of magnetic attraction I then pass the ore through a magnetic
machine constructed as follows.
I form a ring or wheel of alternate pieces of iron and brass or other non-magnetic
material cach alternate piece of iron projecting so that when rotated on an axis
the alternate bars of iron can rub against a frame of iron such frame of iron being
in connection with electro magnets so adjusted that each side reprosents opposite
magnetic poles. The Frame thus made magnetic is adjusted to touch the iron bars
of the ring or wheel at a portion of its side or surface only and when in contact
the bars of iron are in a magnetic condition and attract magnetic particles to its
surface whilst when the bars quit the place of contact the material falls off. When
very tinc metals, ores or mineral products have to be operated I first pass the
material over the poles of magnetic bars made in a similar manner to those already
described but on a flat surface but separated from contact by a piece of any thin
non-magnetic material such as thin brass by imparting to this non-magnetic
material a reciprocating or continuous motion over the magnetic bars the magnetic
particles in the mixed ore change their position in passing over the poles of the

page_text: magnetic bars and are brought to the surface in a condition which enables the
magnetic wheel to complete the separation of the magnetic from the non-magnetic
particles which are delivered into separate receptacles Or in place of the
arrangement hereinbefore described, I place within the wheel or ring already
described electro magnets so arranged as to be in contact with the bars and to
magnetise them in alternate poles when a current of electricity is passed through
the wires around the magnet cores and by breaking the contact with the electric
current during any portion of the wheel's rotation, the magnetic material is
attracted or dropped at pleasure. For situations where it is not convenient to
employ an electric current I employ a nuinber of permanent magnets in contact
with the bars of the ring or wheel which wheel I construct substantially as above
described and place a number of permanent magnets in contact with the bars and
I introduce steel or iron rings so placed as that each may connect all the poles
north or south of these magnetic bars by which the magnetic power of those bars
which are not in contact with the material to be separated is concentrated upon
the part of the wheel which is in action, I find this greatly increases the magnetic
power of the separator.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I FREDERICK JOHN KING of 6 Bishopsgate Avenue in the City of London
Merchant do hereby declare the naturo of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE SEPARATION OF ORES AND MINERAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN 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 the separation of metals minerals and mineral products
which are naturally magnetic or have been made so by previous treatment from
those which are non-magnetic.
In treating ores such for example as the mixed tin ores of Cornwall, the ores are
now stamped to a very fine state of division and then calcined, by which process
the pyrites which usually accompanies these orcs is made lighter, and it is then
washed away. In this process of washing a considerable quantity of fine tin is
washed away with it, and is lost; one of the objects of my Invention is to separate
by a dry method the tin ores from the iron thus made magnetic.
In the process of burning the ore the Pyrites becomes oxidized to a condition in
which it is capable of magnetic attraction I then pass the ore through a magnetic
machine constructed as follows.
I form a ring or wheel of alternate pieces of iron, and brass or other non-magnetic
material, each alternate piece of iron projecting so that when rotated on an axis
the alternate bars of iron can rub against a frame of iron in connection with
clectro magnets so adjusted that each side represents opposite magnetic poles.
The frame thus made magnetic is adjusted to touch the iron bars of the ring or
wheel at a portion of its side or surface only, and when in contact, the bars of iron
are in a magnetic condition and attract magnetic particles to its surface, whilst
when the bars quit the place of contact the material falls off. When very fine
metals, ores, or mineral products have to be operated, I first pass the material over
the poles of magnetic bars made in a similar manner to those already described, but
on a flat surface and separated from contact by a piece of any thin non-magnetic
material such as thin brass; by imparting to this non-magnetic material a recipro-
cating or continuous motion over the magnetic bars the magnetic particles in the
mixed ore change their position in passing over the poles of the magnetic bars and
are brought to the surface in a condition which enables the magnetic wheel to
complete the separation of the magnetic froin the non-magnetic particles which are
delivered into separate receptacles; or in place of the arrangement herein before
described I place within the wheel or ring already described electro-magnets_so
arranged as to be in contact with the bars and to magnetize them in alternate poles
when a current of electricity is passed through the wires around the magnet corcs,
and by breaking the contact with the electric current during any portion of the
wheel's rotation the magnetic material is attracted or dropped at pleasure. For
situations where it is not convenient to employ an Electric current I employ n
Dumber of permanent magnets in contact with the hars of the ring or wheel, which
wheel I construct substantially as above described and place a number of permanent
magnets in contact with the bars, and I introduce steel or iron rings so placed that
all the north poles and all the south poles of these magnetic bars are respectively

page_text: connected together, by which means the magnetic power of those bars which are
not in contact with the material to be separated is concentrated upon the part
of the wheel which is in action, I find this greatly increase the magnetic power of
the separator.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section and Figure 2 a plan of an apparatus
constructed according to my Invention, wherein electro magnets are employed for
separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances, and Figures 3 and 4 are similar
views of a modified apparatus in which permanent magnets are employed for a like
purpose.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is a wheel or drum consisting of a frame or body
of brass or other suitable non-magnetic material, in or on the periphery or circum-
ference of which are secured a number of iron bars B B¹ so arranged as to extend
alternately to or slightly beyond the opposite ends of the drum A, that is to say,
the bars B extend to or beyond one end of the drum, and the bars B¹ extend to or
beyond the opposite end of the said drum as shewn in Figure 2. This drum is
mounted so as to rotate in bearings a between iron cheeks or side plates bbl of a
frame C suspended from a crank shaft D working in bearings d in the frame E of
the apparatus.
The cheeks bb' are connected together by the cores of electromagnets hereinafter
referred to and by bars e of brass or other suitable non-magnetic material which
separate from each other iron bars F F¹ arranged in a similar manner to the
bars B B on the drum A, that is to say the bars F extend to one side of the
frame C and the other bars F¹ extend to the opposite side of the said frame so as
to be in contact respectively with the cheeks b b¹.
In the frame C beneath the bars F F¹ are arranged a number of electro-
magnets G connected by wires g to a dynamo-electric machine or other source of
electricity whereby the magnets are excited and thus the checks b, b' magnetized
in alternate poles, the cheek b for example being the north pole and the check b¹
the south pole and consequently the bars F and F which are respectively in
contact with the cheeks b b will be correspondingly North and South as will also
be those of the bars B, B' which are for the time being in contact with the
cheeks b.b¹.
H is a thin plate of brass or other suitable nonmagnetic material fitted so as to
be capable of reciprocating to and fro upon the bars F F1, which reciprocating
motion may be imparted from the shaft D by the cranks and connecting rods & or
by any other suitable means.
The powdered and calcined ore or other mixed magnetic and non-magnetic
material to be separated, is placed in the hopper I, from which it is permitted to
pass in regulated quantities onto the nonmagnetic plato H, which plate by its
reciprocating motion over the alternate poles of magnetized bars F F¹ causes the
magnetic particles in the mixed material to be turned over and over and allow the
nonmagnetic particles to sink to the bottom, whilst the magnetic particles remain
on the surface until attracted and removed by the magnetized bars B B¹ on the
drum A which rotates in close proximity to the plate H.
The nonmagnetic particles fall from the plate H onto the inclined surface n by
which it is conducted into a suitable receptacle whilst the magnetic particles adhere
to the bars B B¹ so long as the said bars are in contact with the cheeks b b', but so
soon as the bars pass beyond or out of contact with the said cheeks they become
demagnetized and consequently the particles being no longer attracted fall from
the bars onto the inclined surface m by which they are conducted into a separate
receptacle.
In the modified apparatus illustrated by Figures 3 and 4, in place of employing
electro-magnets in the frame C I arrange therein a number of permanent magnets G

page_text: with their poles uppermost and upon the poles of these magnets or upon bars
attached thereto the non-magnetic plate H is fitted to reciprocate as and for the
purpose herein before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
The magnetic wheel or drum A for effecting the separation of the magnetic, from
the non-magnetic material is provided on the periphery or circumference with
bars B, B¹ of iron or steel similar to those in Figures 1 and 2 but magnetized by
being placed in contact with or connected to a number of permanent magnets C²
arranged in the drum A in such a manner that one set of bars, for example those
marked B, form the north pole and the other set of bars, for example those
marked B', form the south pole, as indicated by the signs + and respectively
and I connect all of the north polo bars together by a steel or iron ring k and all
the south pole bars by another ring k¹, whereby the power of all the magnets in
the drum is combined, and thus form one powerful magnet, the power of which is
concentrated upon that portion of the wheel or drum which is acting upon the
material, thereby most effectually separating the magnetic from the non-magnetic
particles of the mixed material submitted to its action.
The mixed material to be separated is placed in the hopper I from which it passes
onto the reciprocating plate H upon which it is agitated so as to cause the
non-magnetic particles to sink to the bottom as herein before described and fall onto
the inclined surface n, whilst the magnetic particles are attracted by and caused to
adhere to the bars B B' of the magnetic drum A and from which they are removed
by the rotating brush and conducted by the inclined surface m into a separate
receptacle.
The frame C may be adjusted nearer to or further from the drum A as required
by means of the cam or eccentric p or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First: In apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances the
employment of a wheel or drum having on its periphery or circumference a number
of iron bars so arranged that when the drum is rotated the bars are brought
successively into contact with surfaces magnetized by means of electro-magnets,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2 of my Drawings.
Second-In apparatus for effecting the separation of magnetic from non-magnetic
substances in which a wheel or drum is employed having on its periphery or circum-
ference iron or steel bars magnetized by a number of permanent magnets, connecting
all the north poles and all the south poles together respectively of the said magnets
by separate rings, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of my drawings.
Third: The general construction, combination and arrangement of parts con-
stituting an apparatus for separating nagnetic from non-magnetic substances,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by figures 1 and 2 of my
drawings.
Fourth-The general construction, combination, and arrangement of parts con-
stituting an apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 of my
drawings.