IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS AND METALLIC ORES FROM OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Borlase, of Redruth, in the County of
Cornwall, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS AND METALLIC
ORES FROM OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 28th March 1873, and dated the 23rd January 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edward Borlase at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 23rd January 1873, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BORLASE, of Redruth, in the County of Cornwall, Mining Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING METALS AND METALLIC ORES
FROM OTHER SUBSTANCES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters

page_text: Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the
true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Borlase, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the annexed Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements
of mechanism whereby metals and metallic ores can be readily separated
from other materials or substances with which they may be intermixed,
in an effectual and advantageous manner.
The materials or substances from which it is desired to separate
the metal or metallic ore by means of the apparatus which forms the
subject of my said Invention if not already mingled with water in
a state of slime or sludge, should be crushed by any of the known
methods for effecting that purpose, and mixed with water, and such
mixture then introduced into an inclined cylindrical sieve or any other
suitable "sizing" machine in order to separate the larger fragments of
the materials under treatment; when such larger fragments have been
separated, the sand, slime, or sludgo, or that portion of the materials
which consists of small particles, or in a comparatively finely divided
state is caused to pass through a launder or channel into a portion of
the apparatus which may be termed "distributors" forming a part of
the apparatus, and which distributors may be stationary or have a rotary
motion, as may be considered desirable.
The main portion of the apparatus consists of circular tables or
receptacles, or a scrics of the same, and which may be either concave
or convex, or both, such tables or receptacles may be stationary or have
a rotary motion, provided that if the distributors are stationary the tables
must be capable of revolving, and vice versa. The said slime or sludgo
is conveyed from the distributors through suitable openings, launders,
pipes, or "doots " on to the outer or inner part of the tables or
receptacles, as the concave or convex portions thereof may render
necessary.
The distributors are fixed at different points of the apparatus, and aro
in such number as the size of the latter may render desirable, and

page_text: are used not only for the conveyance of the sand, slime, or sludge, but
also for the supply of water for the purposes hereinafter mentioned;
when the sand, slime, or sludge, has been conveyed to the tables or
receptacles, streams or jets of clear water are caused to fall or flow
thereon to assist the separation of the waste from the ore, additional
streams or jets of water being supplied by means of distributors to wash
off the ore into receptacles provided for that purpose. The sand, slime,
or sludge is thus kept in a constant state of agitation, and the metal or
ore caused to descend on the bed or plane, while the waste or lighter
portions rise and are carried off with the water towards the inner part of
the concave and the outer part of the convex tables or receptacles,
the metal or ore being washed off into proper receptacles as before
described.
I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively plan and sectional views of
the apparatus having fixed beds, planes, or receptacles, and rotary
distributors; A is a launder or chaunel through which the sand, slime,
or sludge, which it is desired to wash or dress flows into the distributors
B and is then by suitable channels, launders, pipes, or doots C, carried
or conducted to the top or head of the inclined plane or frame D, which
may be concave or convex, and the angle or incline of which will depend
on the nature of the materials to be operated upon; E is a perpendicular
hollow shaft on which the before-mentioned distributors B arc fixed,
F is a launder to carry clear water to the shaft E from which it flows
through the pipes G; the last-mentioned pipes are for clearing and
washing off the ore, and are regulated by the cocks H; the said last-
mentioned pipes with the said distributor are caused to revolve by
the worm and pinion I, while the main body or table of the apparatus
is stationary.
The necessary rotary motion may be obtained by means of any
suitable motive power; J is a shoot or channel for the purpose of
receiving and conveying the ore as it is washed off by the water from the
pipe G (with which it also revolves) and is conveyed into the channel
K, from whence it flows into one of the channels Land is deposited into
a receptacle provided for that purpose; M is a launder or channel to
carry the waste into the distributor N, from whence it is again

page_text: distributed on the inclined plane D where it undergoes a second
dressing, the waste is then thrown into the channel T, whilst the small
portions of ore that may be saved will be washed off by the pipe G into
the launder O and from thence into the before-mentioned launder L;
the shoot or launder P carrics or conducts the materials from the first
cleaning into distributor Q, from whence it is conveyed on to the
inclined plane D, the waste is then carried into the channel R and such
portions thereof as are worth saving are conducted into the channel S,
whilst the ore is washed as before-mentioned into the channel K; if
desired brooms or brushes are supplied to any portion of the apparatus
for the purpose of more thoroughly regulating the dressing as is well
known and understood.
'
Figures 3 and 4 are plan and sectional views of fixed beds and
rotary distributors with the mechanism so arranged as to work from
underneath, in this arrangement one bed or a series of beds may be
employed as may be desired; A is a double launder for the purpose of
conveying two sizes or qualities of materials into the distributors B, B,
the same being conducted by suitable channels C to the top or head of
the inclined planes or beds, or frames D; the angle or incline of the
latter depends on the nature and sizes of the material or materials under
treatment as will be well understood; E is a perpendicular hollow shaft
on which the distributors B, B, are fixed; F is a launder for the purpose
of carrying clear water to the shaft E and thence through the pipes G,
which latter are employed for cleansing and washing off the ore, and aro
made to revolve by the worm and pinion I, while the main body or bed
of the machine is stationary; the waste is allowed to pass away into the
channel T while the small portions of ore that may be displaced by the
cleaning will be washed off by the water from the pipe G into the
channel whence it flows into the channel L, and the clean orc will be
conducted into the before-mentioned channel K, and from thence
deposited in a proper receptacle.
Figures 5 and 6 are plan and sectional views of apparatus, embracing
rotary beds and fixed distributors, and may be constructed with one bed
or a series of beds as may be considered desirable; A is a channel
through which the sand, slime, or sludge flows into the distributor B
and is carried by suitable channels, perforated launders, shoots, or doots
C to the top or head of the inclined planes, beds, or frames D, which
are either concave or convex, or both; the angle or incline of the latter

page_text: will depend upon the nature of the material or materials to be operated
upon; E is a perpendicular shaft to which the said beds or frames D
are fixed; F is the worm and pinion by which the said beds or frames
are caused to revolve, the waste material or materials passing from the
plane or frame D will flow into that portion of the launder markod G,
and if required to be redressed may be distributed on the under plane or
frame D, but if not required to be redressed the same may be carried off
without falling on the frame; H are pipes or perforated launders for the
purpose of conveying clear water for washing or cleaning the metal or
ore, the waste from which falls into that part of the launder marked I,
and from thence is again conveyed on to the frame D, where it undergoes
a second process similar to that previously described; K. are pipes
or perforated launders which convey clear water for washing off the
metal or ore into that portion of the launder marked L, from whence
it passes into properly prepared receptacles; launders are placed
underneath the bottom bed or plane D to carry off the metal or ore, and
waste respectively as the same falls therefrom.
In either of the forms of apparatus herein-before described, brooms
or brushes, such as are usually employed in "tin" dressing may
if desired be attached at any convenient point for the purpose of more
thoroughly regulating the dressing of the material or materials under
treatment.
It should be observed that in the annexed Drawings the concave
and convex tables are shewn as being on the same level, but I wish it
to be distinctly understood that they may be arranged in series one
above another.
I should also state that when the machine is constructed of
a very large size it might be difficult to support the whole from the
main shaft; in such cases wheels are placed and suitably arranged under
the machine for the purpose of supporting the same.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I would observe
in conclusion that I do not claim the several and distinct parts of the
apparatus herein-before described separate and apart from each other, as
being of my Invention, neither do I restrict or confine myself to the
precise details in the construction and arrangement of the said apparatus
as hercin-before described, inasmuch as variations may be made therein

page_text: without departing from the principles or main features of my said
Invention, but what I consider novel and original and therefore claim
as constituting my said Invention arc, the several combinations and
arrangements of parts and mechanism in the construction of apparatus,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and set
forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Borlase, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.