An Improved Process for Separating Heavy from Light Particles by Centrifugal Action.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Separating Heavy from Light Particles
by Centrifugal Action.
I, LOUIS MAICHE, 368, Rue St. Honore, Paris, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
When material such as pulverised mineral containing heavy particles of metal or
other bodies is mixed with water and treated in a centrifugal drum the whole of the
solid material becomes accumulated at the circumference leaving the water in the
middle, and the outward movement of the solid material is so rapid that the heavier
particles have not time to become separated from the lighter. Now according to this
invention the pulverised mineral is mixed not with water but with mucilaginous
liquid such as starch paste, sirupy extracts from vegetables or seaweeds, or silicates.
The centrifugal drum. is made with an outward bulge about the middle of its depth.
On charging the drum with the pulverised mineral mixed with mucilage and causing
it to revolve, the particles move towards the circumference but are retarded by the
mucilage, so that time is given for the heavier particles to become separated from
the lighter and to collect in a layer in the bulge of the drum, whence they can be
removed after removing the lighter portions. The bulging part of the circumference
of the drum may be made as a ring and fixed in such a way that it can be removed
along with the layer of the heavier particles lodged on it.
Dated this 15th day of February 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Process for Separating Heavy from Light Particles
by Centrifugal Action.
I, LOUIS MAICHE, of 368, Rue St. Honoré, Paris, France, Civil Engineer, 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:
When material such as pulverised mineral containing heavy particles of metal or
other bodies is nixed with water and treated in a centrifugal drum, the whole of the
solid material becomes accumulated at the circumference leaving the water in the
middle, and during the centrifugal action the outward movement of the solid particles
is so rapid that the heavier particles have not time to become separated from the
lighter.

page_text: Now according to this invention the pulverised mineral is mixed, not with water,
but with viscous liquid such as starch paste, sirupy or mucilaginous extracts from
vegetables or seaweeds or silicates. The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic
section of a centrifugal drum A suitable for carrying my invention into effect it is
preferably made with an inwardly projecting lip B at its upper edge and with a
recess C at its widest part. On charging the drum with the pulverised mineral
mixed with the viscous liquid and causing it to revolve, the particles move towards
the circumference but are so retarded by the viscidity of the mixture that time is
given for the beavier particles, in virtue of their greater centrifugal tendency, to
become separated from the lighter particles and to collect in an outer layer at the
circumference of the drum and the recess whence they can be removed after
removing the lighter portions.
For operating as described the ore to be treated should be finely ground so as to
pass through a mesh of about 80 to the inch. The proportions in which the viscous
material is mixed with the ore may vary considerably but the mucilage or equivalent
material used should have a consistence like that of concentrated glycerine, the
mixture with the ore having a consistence near that of molasses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The herein described process for separating the heavy from the light particles of
pulverised material by mixing the material with viscous liquid and subjecting the
mixture to centrifugal action.