Improvement in Concentrators for Ores and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 9th May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Concentrators for Ores and the like.
I, WILLIAM LEGRAND CARD, a Mining Engineer, residing at 1625 Texas
Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, a citizen of the United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object aimed at in concentration, and accomplished in this device, is the
production of concentrates containing the least possible quantity of gangue, or
valueless material; and tailings containing the least possible mineral, or valuable
matter.
The great central feature or principle upon which this machine is founded-and
to which all others are subservient and tributary-is air impulses, produced by
concussion, the application of which to the production of stratification in a mass of ore
particles, is hereinafter fully set forth and described. An air impulse due to a blow,
delivered upon a yielding side of a chamber of inclosed air, partakes of the nature
of the blow as to violence, volume, velocity and interval. I therefore provide
means whereby the nature and extent of this blow may be indefinitely adjusted
and modified in these respects, so that the air impulses produced thereby may be
indefinitely varied to meet the requirements due to variations in size, specific
gravity, and shape or form of the particles composing the mass of ore under treat-
ment. This is imperative. because of the very great variety of ores and their
combinations, if it is desired to produce a single machine to take the place of the
great variety of machines now in use, which owe their existence to this very cause.
The principal objects specifically aimed at in this device are -
1st. The division of the particles of the mass of ore under treatment into strata,
according to their various specific gravities.
2nd. The separation of the various strata of mineral (if there be more than one)
from the stratum of gangue.
3rd. If a superstratum of mineral of less specific gravity than the gangue is
formed, then to deliver that by way of a separate discharge.
4th. To prevent the escape of the stratifying agent (air or water) by way of
either of the discharges for the ore constituents, as this would operate to a greater
or lesser extent to interfere with the production of the desired stratification.
This device is based upon the discovery of a method for using the required
volume of air, (or water) at the required velocity for the required interval of time,
and means by which the force, the volume, the velocity and the interval may be
modified or adjusted. This discovery, as embodied and applied in this machine,
enables the operator to produce practically the same results with air weighing
about 075-291 of a pound to the cubic foot, as has heretofore been produced with
water, a cubic foot of which weighs about 62.5 pounds.
There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully
appear.
This machine consists of four principal parts or divisions, as follows:-
1st. A bellows, (or any equivalent thereof as a chamber having a movable side,
like a diaphragm) operated by
2nd. A beater, susceptible of adjustment to produce an almost endless variety of
blows and their resulting impulses, through-
3rd. An ore-bed, on which the desired stratification may be produced thereby;
having discharge openings, or conduits, for the substrata of concentrates, which

page_text: laterally and vertically divide the ore-bed into compartments, longitudinally of the
same, and
4th. Mechanism which may be adjusted to properly remove the concentrates from
the bed, as fast as they are precipitated (or stratified) leaving the gangue (or refuse)
thus deprived of its mineral constituents to flow off at the tail of the machine.
Other parts, co-acting with these, will be set forth and described in their proper
order, in connection with the four principal parts.
In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a concentrator embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a top or plan view.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away of one of the concentrator boxes
or double chambers-a series of which constitute the compound ore-bed.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the diaphragm frames which divide the
concentrator boxes into upper and lower compartments.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the devices-partly in horizontal section-and with the
beater removed to show the elastic anvil on the top of the bellows.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line 6-6 Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 7-7 Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the compound
ore-bed, to more clearly illustrate the construction of the concentrator boxes, and
the intermediate discharge slots for withdrawing the substratum of concentrates,
and the means for rendering such withdrawal intermittent so as to maintain the
necessary resistance to the upward flow of fluid in said discharge slots.
Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section on part of the line 5-5 Fig. 6, to show the
strap and thumb-screw 20 by which the relation of beater and bellows is
controlled.
Fig. 10 is a detached view of one of the adjustable throw cranks for controlling
the action of the beater and the ratchet wheel.
Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section of one of the double chambers or
concentrator boxes, a series of which constitute the compound ore-bed-taken on
the line y-y (Figs. 5 & 6).
Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the beater handle and the adjustable
momentum weight-
-on the line -, Fig. 1.
Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating the character of the impulse due to momentum
alone or to the blow of the beater directly on the bellows.
Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating the character of the impulse due to momentum
and yielding resistance or modified by interposing an elastic anvil between the
beater and bellows.
Fig. 15 is a diagram illustrating the force of concussion when an elastic anvil is
used.
Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating the force of concussion when an elastic anvil is
not used.
Fig. 17 is a sectional view of a portion of the bottom of the bellows and its
valves d'd', with means for holding the valves more or less firmly to their seats
when a return current is desired, and
Fig. 18 is a modification of the devices shown in Fig. 17, wherein weights are
substituted for springs.
Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.
The object aimed at in concentration is the production of concentrates containing
no gangue matter, and tailings containing no concentrates, or mineral. The best
results heretofore attained have been the saving on an average of seventy-five (75%)
per cent. of the value contained in the ore.
To effect these results, I have combined with an ore-bed whereon stratification
can take place, a bellows (or its equivalent a chamber having a diaphragm) for
producing air currents of any required volume, and a beater for producing the
impulse or intermittent current, and the latter element or beater I have provided
with adjuncts whereby the character of the blow may be modified to produce an

page_text: endless variation in the character of the impulse ;- and the principle of construction
embodies the first feature of my invention."
Secondly-Experiments have shown me that the machine for sorting or dividing
the metal or mineral from the gangue or refuse should not only be so constructed
and operated as to divide the valuable and worthless particles of the mass into
different strata-but should also separate and discharge the various strata at different
places, and that in thus withdrawing the substratum it should be done without
opening a way for the discharge of the stratifying agent-(air or water) and with it
the gangue.
To effect this provide a compound ore-bed with one or more discharge slots,
ways or conduits, which is (or are) kept full of concentrates maintaining thereby
as much resistance (or more) to the flow of the stratifying fluid in that direction,
as is presented by the mass on the ore-bed; and further by providing means for
rendering the discharge, as well as the stratifying force, intermittent in its action;
and said principle of construction embodies a second feature of my inventions.
There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully
appear.
I will now proceed to describe more specifically the mechanism which I have
devised for the purpose of conducting the operation of concentrating ores in accord-
ance with the principles herein before set forth,-in order that others skilled in the
art to which it appertains may apply the invention either in the exact form
chosen for illustration, or with such modifications as particular circumstances may
require.
In Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6-D is a bellows, the lower leaf of which is secured
immovably to the cross timber of the frame. The top of the bellows is moved in
an upward direction by a contact of the beater device S with the thumb-screw $20,
said thumb screw passing through the strap 21, which strap is suitably secured at
its lower ends to the bellows cover, and said upward movement is assisted but not
compelled by the spring . The downward movement of the bellows top is
imparted by a contact of the beater block 8, with one of the bars 8 of an
elastic anvil S, shown on the top of the bellows in the figures above referred to.
The elastic anvil S is composed of the cross bar S23, supported by the end
bars SS, the latter being in turn supported at their ends by blocks-the
whole constituting an elastic or yielding frame which rests on the top of the bellows,
having for its object the modification of the force imparted to the bellows by the
blow of the hammer. The bellows has inlet valves as shown at dd', (Fig 6) which
should be of sufficient size and freedom of movement to quickly admit a large
volume of air to the bellows, without creating any perceptible return current
through the ore-bed and its superimposed strata of pulverized ore. Should it be
desired to produce such a return current it can be brought about by holding the
valves more or less firmly to their seats by adjustable spring connections, or
by weighting the valves, in manner well understood in the art. Devices for this
purpose are shown in Figure 17, wherein the valves d' d' of the bellows are connected
by chains with the ends of a spring a movable in guides ", said spring
being controlled by an adjusting screw " which passes through a nut dand
bears in a block 4 secured to the bellows. In lieu of springs, the valves d' may
be weighted by the weights d shown in Figure 18.
The curved or semi-circular block 2, at the discharge end of the bellows
(see Figs. 5 & 6) is to divide and guide the air currents to the entrances
of the conduits e¹ e in such manner as to avoid eddies. In order to cause the
bellows to produce the greatest possible variety of air impulses, it is operated
by a―
Beater, S, supported by the straps' to which it is secured by bolts s², said strap
being pivoted at s. This beater S consists primarily of a handle (or parallel
bars,) and the beater block properly secured thereto, which acts upon
an elastic anvil 23, 34, 824 (see Fig. 2) upon the upper leaf of the bellows D.
The beater is actuated by the adjustable throw crank 6, pitman 10, arm ",

page_text: rock shafts 81, and spring arms $13, secured to block 814 on shaft 3, and
receives its motion through the medium of the adjustable sliding clamp
arranged on the beater handle, said clamp having the pins inserted in the
downwardly projecting lips forming a part thereof, between which pins the spring
arms is inserted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.
I will now proceed to describe those auxiliaries of the beater, which enable the
operator to impart an almost endless variety of properties to the impulses which
pass through the compound ore-bed E from the bellows D, some of which properties
are as follows-
First Momentum, or power of overcoming inertia, as by a weight in motion.
For this purpose I provide the handle S of the beater with an adjustable weight Wt.
The momentum is increased by adjusting the weight Wt nearer the beater block 88,
and diminished by adjusting it further away from the same.
An impulse due to this cause alone would be illustrated by converging lines
representing diminution of force and volume, see diagram Fig. 13.
This force, acting upon the elastic anvil, would so modify the impulse that it
would be represented by a quick swell and slow diminuendo, as shown by the
diverging and converging line in diagram Fig. 14.
Second Concussion, or the greatest force for the shortest period of time.
This is produced by allowing a free movement to the beater; it is increased by
a greater and diminished by a lesser free movement, and to control the free move-
ment of the beater I employ the strap 21 and thumb screw 20 hereinbefore
specified or its equivalent.
In explanation: The bellows is compressed by the contact of the beater block 38
with the anvil 23, and raised or opened by the contact of the beater handle with
the thumb screw 820, see Figs. 1-6 and 9. The free movement of the beater being
increased or diminished by increasing or diminishing the space between the
end of the thumb-screw and the handle, (see Figs. 6 and 9) in manner apparent.
This force would be represented by the diagrams 15 and 16, the first being the
lines where an elastic handle is used, and the second where no anvil is used-
A beginning, B middle, and C end of impulse.
The Velocity of Impulse is modified―
First, by changing the throw of the adjustable crank s :
Second, by adjusting the sliding clamps, further from or nearer to, the rock
shafts, thus causing the beater to have a longer or shorter stroke in the same
interval of time as the case may be.
Third, by manipulation of the thumb-screw 28, which controls the opening or
closing of the free ends of the spring plates so, between which plays the plate $27,
secured to the beater handle S, and thus increasing or diminishing its move-
ment by opposing a more or less yielding resistance to its strokes at the ends of
said strokes.
The first method, viz.: by means of the throw of the crank is of general utility,
while the second and third methods are tributary, for purposes of further modifying
the impulse.
The Volume of Impulse is modified by securing the clamp s¹ at the extreme
end of beater handle where the spring arm s has the least elasticity, and then
increasing the throw of the crank s will increase the volume, and diminishing the
crank throw will diminish it.
Resistance to Impulse.--This may be modified to almost any required extent,
after it leaves the bellows and before it acts upon the pulverized ore, by the nature,
shape, size and depth of the material (preferably shot) with which the chamber e
of the ore-bed E is charged. The impulse passing much more freely through
coarse or globular, than through small or irregular particles, also more freely
through a thin, than through a thick stratum.
I have in the preceding description described and shown means for imparting at
least four different qualities to the impulses, and means for modifying each quality
in connection with a suitable resistance, and also means for modifying said resistance,

page_text: so that it is apparent that I have the means at hand for adjusting the machine to
handle a great variety of ores.
The third principal part of this device consists of a compound ore-bed, having a
pervious diaphragm, which substantially separates it into two compartments, (the
upper to contain some material pervious to air, preferably shot, and the lower for
the admission and distribution of air) and also divided longitudinally by transverse
vertical openings, into such a number or series of compartments as may be desired.
In the drawings I have shown five such double chambers. Or in other words, the
compound ore-bed is made up of a series of concentrator boxes. One of these
double chambers or concentrators, of which a series form the compound ore-bed,
is shown detached and in perspective in Fig. 3, in which the bottom and the
ends e¹ are made preferably of some suitable wood-the sides es, of some suitable
sheet metal, (preferably brass) the tops being brought to an edge by a file, or on
an emery wheel.
To the tops of the sharp edges of the brass side pieces e, the wire gauze cover
is secured (by soldering or in any other suitable manner) after being tightly drawn
into place. This gauze is then drawn taut longitudinally and secured (by tacks or
in any other suitable manner) to the top-edges of the end pieces".
The lower wire gauze diaphragm e is supported upon the frame shown detached
in Figure 4, to which it is secured in any suitable manner, the various parts are
put together as shown in Figure 3, with screws, or in any other suitable
manner.
Thus are formed a shot chamber above, having the opening e for filling and
emptying said chamber, and the air chamber e below; said air chamber et having
air entrance ports e above, and e8 below, at opposite ends of the air chamber, with
the end in view of producing as nearly as may be an equal distribution of the
impulses in the lines of the arrows (shown on the drawings Fig. 11) and at all
intermediate points; and of sweeping (with the lower current entering at e) all
fine particles which may jig through the bed and fall upon the bottom of the air
chamber to one end, and down through the tubes e into the receptacle e¹², and at
the same time, avoiding injurious eddies in the air chamber . The sides of ore-
bed may be parallel, convergent or divergent, as shown. If parallel, the depth of
the pulverized ore thereon will be reduced from head to tail, in proportion to the
amount of material drawn off through the discharge slots, ways, or openings 18.
If convergent, the depth may be retained, or increased. If divergent, it will be
diminished to a considerable extent. Any desired number of these compartment
boxes may be taken to form the compound ore-bed E, being secured in
manner to the side pieces e (see Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7) which have openings corre-
sponding to the various ports e and of the said boxes. Covering these ports and
secured to the side pieces e are the air boxes or conduits e¹, e', upon each side of
the bed, which conduct the air impulses from the bellows to the various air com-
partments of the ore-bed, through the ports e¹ and 8. The sum of the areas of these
ports and ex should equal the area of the cross section of the conduit e¹ at o, (see
Fig. 5) to equalize the division of the air impulses among the various air chambers
of the ore-bed; or, any familiar form of adjustable gate may be used at each port,
for the same purpose, if preferred.
suitable
Strips e, (see Figs. 2, 6 & 7) cover the wooden end plates of the compart-
ment boxes, preventing a dead surface on the ore-bed and acting as guides along
the edges of the mass of pulverized ore under treatment.
A hopper H is secured to the side plates e, and the upper side of the first
concentrator box, of the compound ore-bed (which upper side of said first box
may be made of wood, as there is no discharge opening for concentrates there)
and said hopper is provided with a feed-gate %, adjusted to and held in position
by the thumb-screw '.
-
The ore-bed is supported at these points, two at the inner, and one at the
outer end, eiz.: upon pivots o, (see Figs. 1 & 2) projecting from plates secured
upon the air conduits e¹, e', which rest in the semi-circular recesses in the outer

page_text: ends of the plates o°, which plates are bolted to the bellows at 0, and carry
at the inner ends the pivots, upon which the beater oscillates. The outer end
of the ore-bed rests upon a thumb-screw o³, by means of which it can be vertically
adjusted to vary the pitch or incline of the surface e², of the ore-bed E. To
permit of such vertical adjustment without interfering with the passage of the air
impulses, the inner ends of the conduits or air boxes e' are made convex, as shown
at o (see Fig. 1) upon a circle having the pivot o' for its centre; and the corre-
sponding inner end of the bellows is made concave, upon a circle having the same
centre; and the joint thus formed at o is packed with any suitable material. To
hold this joint tight, the thumb-screw ol is provided, pressing against the (inclined
upper surfaced) end block e, over which the tailings are discharged. There-
fore to change the pitch of the ore-bed, it is only necessary to first release
the screw o¹, second, adjust pitch with screw o³, and third, re-tighten joint o with
screw o¹.
The openings e and e, from the conduit e¹ to the chambers e, alternate on each
side of the ore-bed, as shown in Fig. 6. The discharge ways or slots e¹³,
Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 8, cross the bed laterally from plate e to plate e, and are provided
with fillers e, (see Figs. 5 and 7) flush with strips e" and the end plates of the
boxes e from top to bottom of the slots, for the purpose of limiting the length
of the slots e18 to the width of the active surface of the ore-bed-to wit the space
between the covers or guide-strips €16.
Curved pieces of wire gauze or sheet metal el, see Figs. 6 and 8, cross the
surface of the bed laterally, their lower edges in contact with the tail sides of the
top of the slots or openings els, and whose upper edges are projected upward and
inward against the flow of the pulverized ore, sufficiently to cover, or a little more
than cover, the tops of the openings e¹³, but leaving sufficient opening under their
upper and inwardly projecting edges, to permit the bottom stratum on the surface
of the bed e* to find its way easily thereunder and into the top of the slot e¹³.
These curved strips are secured at each end, to the side guide plates e¹, and may
be secured in any suitable manner to the lower, (or outer or tail) side of the upper
ends (or tops) of openings e¹³; care being taken not to choke the slot e¹ in so
doing. Or in lieu of curved pieces of wire gauze el having their lower edges in
_contact with the tail side of the top of the slots e¹³, bars or rods, of any form which
will divide the substratum from the superstratum at a point directly over the
openings, to prevent the downward flow of the superstratum at said point, and
prevent the formation of a downward draft on the superstratum when the substratum
is drawn off, may be used.
The purpose of these curved strips, bars or rods, is to promote the withdrawal
of the bottom or heaviest stratum into and through the openings e¹³, and to prevent
the formation thereover of a vortex which always draws from the surface or
superstratum, no other causes interfering. I do not limit myself to the construc-
tion shown for the prevention of the formation of vortices, as strips, bars, or rods of
various forms may be suitably arranged or interposed to obstruct the flow from
the upper stratum.
I will next describe the fourth principal part of the device, which consists of
mechanism designed, while it keeps the discharge ways or slots " always full, yet
to remove their contents at such rate as the operator chooses; which should be
just so fast and no faster than the concentrates accumulate and form into a lower
or bottom stratum on the surface e² of the ore-bed, and enter the top of the slot e¹³
without bringing foreign matter with them. For the sake of brevity, and for want
of a more euphonious expression, I will call this mechanism the take-off. It consists
of plates t, of the proportionate length shown in Fig. 7, and width shown in Fig. 8, a
portion of the ends of which are preferably turned down at right angles and secured at
each end at t³, (see Fig. 8) to the upwardly projecting rocker-arms.t, which arms
are secured to the rock-shafts t in the pierced hangers of the hanger plates t',
(see Fig. 7). These rock shafts have downwardly projecting arms at one end
(see Fig. 1) slotted at t, for adjustable connection with the connecting bar to,

page_text: which also has slotted openings to for the connecting screw pins t". This connect-
ing bar has movable connection by the pin with the pitman 10, which is
actuated by an adjustable throw-crank t³, (see Figs. 1 & 5) on the end of a
short shaft w, which is rotated by means of a ratchet wheel W2, acted upon by
the pawl w, the reverse motion of ratchet wheel W being prevented by the
small pawl w. This pawl receives its positive movement from a crank c* turned
in the main shaft of the machine, and its retrograde movement from the spiral
spring coiled thereon, which bears at stationary end against the timber 6 of
the frame (through which the pawl passes) and at its movable or operative end
against the shoulder of the jaw ³, of the pawl w, which has an open semi-
circular end to fit the crank w. Windicates a power pulley on the main shaft
of the machine, and W₁ a fly wheel at the opposite end of said main shaft.
>
Divider strips t', set edgewise in the centre of the bottom of the transverse
openings el, Fig. 8, and secured at each end at to the hanger plates t',
(see Fig. 7) their upper edges entering the slots and their lower edges
slightly above and out of contact with the plates t, are introduced for the purpose
of insuring the flow of the concentrates down through the openings eld and off of
the edges, alternately, of the plates t.
Referring to the foregoing description of the mechanism actuating the plates t,
it is apparent that with the connecting bar t8 secured to the arms to, in the position
shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the movement of the innermost plate t would
be greater than its next neighbour, and so on to the outermost, which would have
the least movement of all. As these plates have an oscillatory movement from
side to side, it follows that the material filling the slot ela, and resting upon them, will
be drawn slowly off thereby in the following manner: Supposing, for illustration,
that the first movement of a given plate is th of an inch to the right, then the
material on said plate, located on the right hand side of the divider plate t', will
ride or be carried thereon, from the right hand side of the slot 18, there being
nothing opposed directly to such action, but the material on the left hand side of
the divider plate t will be opposed by said divider plate and the plate t will
slide thereunder. On a reverse movement of say th of an inch to the left, the
material on the left-hand side of the divider plate will be carried to the left,
while that to the right will remain stationary. If these movements be continued,
a portion relative to the stroke of the plate t will be dropped alternately from each
edge thereof, and the action down through the slot el will be intermittent, thus
giving sufficient time after each down-flow of concentrates for another accumulation.
above the curved strips e", on the surface e² of the ore-bed to prevent, to that
extent, the drawing of extraneous or worthless gangue matter down through the
discharge openings e intended for the concentrates.
In operation the heaviest matter will pass through the first opening (el) it
encounters in passing over the bed from head to tail, and so on to the last
opening (18) which will discharge that material which is nearest in specific gravity
to the refuse or gangue. In practice all the movements of the ore from beginning
to ending being done by machinery and automatically, it would conduce to the
greatest saving (where several concentrators are in simultaneous use upon the
different grades as to size of ore) to draw a pretty large percentage of gangue
through the last opening e¹8 and return the whole of the product of this last
opening to the hopper of the next succeeding machine, by which I mean the
machine working the next smaller grade of material. These concentrates,
discharged from the last slot 18 of No. 1 concentrator (working the coarsest
material) would be discharged substantially pure from one of the slots es, near
the head of No. 2 concentrator, working the next smaller grade of material;
and the same principle of operation should be applied to all the machines in
the group until the last, working the finest material when the material from the
last slot e, of the last concentrator, may be either returned to the hopper of the
said last machine which produced it, or the take-off adjusted to draw as pure a
products consistent with good work, and allow this to go with the other

page_text: .
concentrates at the discretion of the operator, who, it is to be pre-supposed, will
have some knowledge of the business.
Supposing a mixture of nearly equal sized particles of galena (specific gravity
about 7ths) of pyrites, (specific gravity about 4ths) and of quartz, (specific
gravity about 2ths) containing a large percentage of free gold particles, (of a
specific gravity anywhere of from 15 to 19) were passed over one of these
machines, it would be possible by proper adjustment to draw nearly all the gold
with a little galena through the first slot of the series; nearly pure galena through
the next; then a mixture of galena and pyrites: then nearly pure pyrites: then
a mixture of pyrites with more or less quartz (at will) and finally, to discharge
nearly pure quartz at the tail, carrying only a very small percentage of the value
originally contained in the mass as fed into the machine.
Finally it will be noted that the forces which act to produce flow in this device
are alternately the force of the impulses and the force of gravity; the force of
the impulse acting obliquely upwards in lines at or nearly at right angles with
the face of the bed, and the force of gravity, perpendicularly downwards; the two
combined resulting in a series of steps from the head towards the tail of the machine,
or of the compound ore-bed.
The described means for producing stratification by means of impulses produced
by concussion with the means for modifying the same-and the described means
for withdrawing the substratum of concentrates, and at the same time pre-
venting the formation of vortices in the superstratum of gangue-as well as the
escape or egress of the stratifying agent (air or water) with the concentrates
(which escape would interfere with stratification) are the most important
features of this device. Having therefore provided a variety of means for
modifying the process of stratification, and a variety of means for modifying the
process of drawing off the substratum of concentrates, without withdrawing there-
with the superstratum of gangue, or interfering with the process of stratification,
I do not limit myself to the particular construction shown. For instance, a
beater might be arranged upon an elastic or spring handle-operated by a cam-or in
the same manner as a steam hammer-with valves and mechanism, to cause it to
deliver any sort of blow desired, also a fluted roller, operated by a ratchet wheel,
might be substituted for the "take-off" mechanism shown-furthermore-an air
or a water chamber having one side constructed of leather or india-rubber might
be substituted for the bellows shown, etc. It should also be understood that a
pumping, or a tremolo effect, may be produced by means of the bellows, by turning
the screw 20 down into continuous contact with the beater handle-so as to eliminate
all free movement of the beater-which adjustment reduces it to a crank movement,
that may be found suitable to some varieties or sizes of ore.
For purposes of illustration, and because an air-or dry concentrator-has the
widest range of usefulness, I have chosen a dry concentrator for purposes of this
description; but it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the same
principles of construction, combination and operation can be applied to wet concen-
trators without further invention, and I intend that the claims hereinafter made
shall apply equally to wet concentrators.
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:-
I. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, and a beater for
actuating the bellows, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
II. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, and an elastic anvil interposed between the bellows and
beater, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
III. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater, and
an adjustable weight arranged on the beater to control the momentum thereof;
substantially as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: IV. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, an adjustable weight arranged on the beater, and an elastic
anvil interposed between the bellows and beater, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
V. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, a strap or yoke connected with the bellows and encircling the
beater, and a thumb-screw to control the movement of the beater, substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
VI. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, a strap or yoke connected with the bellows and encircling
the beater, a thumb-screw for controlling the movement of the beater, and an elastic
anvil interposed between the beater and the bellows; substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
VII. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, an adjustable weight arranged on the beater, a strap or yoke
connected with the bellows and encircling the beater, and a thumb-screw for
controlling the movement of the beater, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
VIII. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, an adjustable weight arranged on the beater, a strap or yokė
connected with the bellows and encircling the beater, a thumb-screw for controlling
the movement of the beater, and an elastic anvil interposed between the beater and
the bellows, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
IX. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows and an adjustable crank for changing the throw of the beater;
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
X. In a concentrator, the combination of an orc-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, and a sliding clamp arranged on the beater, and a rock shaft
and spring arm for actuating the beater, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
XI. In a concentrator, the combination of an ore-bed, a bellows, a beater for
actuating the bellows, a sliding clamp arranged on the beater, a rock shaft with
spring arm for actuating the beater, and an adjustable crank for changing the throw
of the beater, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
XII. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge slots or ways extending downward from said bed for withdrawing the
substratum of concentrates, of obstructive pieces arranged over said discharge ways
or slots to prevent the formation of vortices over said discharge slots, and means
for producing stratification on said ore-bed, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
XIII. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having a discharge
way for concentrates, of a concentrate discharger arranged at the exit of said
discharge way, and mechanism for automatically actuating said discharger, whereby
the discharge way may be kept full of concentrates to prevent the escape of the
stratifying medium through said discharge way, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
XIV. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge ways for concentrates and means for producing stratification on said bed,
of oscillating plates arranged at the exits of said ways to prevent flow therethrough
when at rest, and mechanism to automatically oscillate said plates to remove the
contents of said discharge ways, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
XV. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge ways for concentrates and means for producing stratification on said bed,
of oscillating plates arranged at the exits of said ways, stationary plates arranged
in said ways to co-act with the oscillating plates in promoting a measured rate of
discharge, and mechanism for automatically actuating said oscillating plates, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: XVI. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge ways for concentrates and means for producing stratification on said bed,
of obstructive pieces arranged over said ways, and oscillating plates arranged at
the exits of said ways to regulate the discharge of concentrates, substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
XVII. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge ways for concentrates and means for producing stratification on said bed,
of obstructive pieces arranged over said ways, dischargers arranged at the exits of
said ways, and mechanism for automatically actuating said dischargers for dis-
charging the concentrates in measured and regulated quantities, substantially as
specified.
XVIII. In a concentrator, the combination with an ore-bed having one or more
discharge ways for concentrates and means for producing stratification on said bed,
of obstructive pieces arranged over said ways, stationary plates arranged in said
ways to assist in producing a measured rate of discharge, oscillating plates
arranged at the exits of said ways, and mechanism for automatically actuating said
oscillating plates to discharge the concentrates at a measured rate whereby said
discharge ways may be kept always full to prevent such escape of the stratifying
fluid through said ways as would impair the process of stratification on the surface
of the ore-bed, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 17th dow of March 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.