An Improved System and Apparatus for Removing Impurities from and Refining China Clay.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved System and Apparatus for Removing Impurities from
and Refining China Clay.
We WILLIAM WALTER ROBINS NICHOLLS of 14, Truro Road, St. Austell,
Cornwall, Inventor, and WILLIAM NICHOLLS and FREDRICK HART NICHOLLS
both of Commercial Buildings, St. Austell, Cornwall all trading as The Lower
Lansalson China Clay Coy. 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 :-
This invention relates to improved means for removing impurities from and
refining china clay, and consists essentially in so regulating the adjustment of
the mica dreg traps so as to ensure an equal flow of the clay through the said
mica dregs thus producing the highest possible degree of purity and fineness and
freedom from grit.
For this purpose we provide a shaft running underneath the traps of each set of
mica dregs to which shaft are keyed arms or lifters for raising or lifting each trap
more or less according to the movement of the shaft which is turned or revolved
by means of a hand lever keyed on one end thereof and working in a semi-circular
guide or quadrant provided with holes and an adjusting pin for fixing the said lever
in any required position.
The clay passes direct from the mica dregs to the refiner, which consists of a
cistern formed partly of a chamber having a wire gauze top, and partly of a
chamber containing water for cleaning a set of brushes revolving or travelling over
the wire gauze to clean the latter from grit &c.
The clay thus treated passes from the refiner by means of launders to the
settling pits.
And in order more clearly to understand our said invention and the manner of
carrying it into practical effect we will describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of our improved apparatus and Fig. 2
a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a section and Fig. 5 a plan of the
refiner.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are details showing the trap adjusting arrangement.
a represents the mica dregs consisting of three sets about 22 feet long, each set
containing eight divisions or passages a¹ about two feet wide terminating with an
adjusting trap band with waste outlets b¹. Underneath the traps pass a shaft c
supported in bearings at each end, and to this shaft are keyed underneath each
trap, short arms or lifters d likewise connected to the traps for the purpose of
raising them, as shown in section in Fig. 1 upon revolving the said shaft c.
For this purpose the shaft c has fixed to one of its ends a hand-lever e working
in a semi-circular guide or quadrant, which latter is provided with holes f¹ into
which is inserted a ping for locking the lever e in any required position, and by
which means the height to which the traps are raised regulated.
By this means all the traps of a single set are adjusted simultaneously to the
same position thus regulating to a nicety the flow of the clay through each set.
The clay passes direct from the mica dregs along the passage h to the refiner i
entering a chamber k formed therein by means of and through a gauze top kl. The
clay then passes by means of the launder into the settling pit m. The refiner is
provided with a vertical shaft n carrying brushes n' which serve for cleaning the
gauze as they are revolved by the motion of the said shaft.

page_text: The latter is operated by means of bevel gear o driven by means of similar
gearing o¹ and a shaft p from a water-wheel 9 which is revolved by the passage of
the clay through the launder l. The refiner is likewise provided with a chamber r
for receiving water through a pipes for the purpose of cleaning the brushes n' as
they pass over it in their revolution. t is a discharge or overflow pipe from the
cleaning chamber r.
Experience proves that the trapping of the mica dregs should be regulated
according to time and circumstances one set necessitating higher trapping than the
-others and this we claim to accomplish by means of our single set trap adjustment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. In apparatus for removing impurities from and refining china clay the traps b
adjusted to any required position by means of the shafts c, arms or lifters d, hand-
levers e, guides provided with holes f¹ and adjusting or locking pins g substantially
as described and shown in the drawings.
2. The improved china clay refiner consisting of the chamber k, provided
with gauze top k¹, shaft n, brushes n', operated by gearing oo and wheel 9,
and brush cleaning chamber substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
3. The improved apparatus for the treatment and manufacture of china clay
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893.
F. G. CASSELL,
Of Cassell & Co.,
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicants.