of and Apparatus for Effecting the Concentration and Separation of Solids.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Process of and Apparatus for Effecting the Concentration and
Separation of Solids.
I JONATHAN ALDOUS MAYS of 1 Belsize Terrace Hampstead in the County of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In concentrating or washing minerals from crushed or powdered substances such
as ores or earths as hitherto effected the difference between the specific gravities
of the various substances dealt with has been mainly relied upon as the means of
effecting separation and among the contrivances employed for the purpose of
bringing this difference into play are apparatuses usually known as Frue Vanners.
In these apparatuses the "concentrates of the substances under treatment that is
to say those of the particles of a mass of pulp or sludge which are of greater
specific gravity than others are enabled or caused to reach and temporarily adhere
to or remain upon the surface of an endless travelling belt which is subjected to a
continuous vanning or shaking movement and where the pulp is also continuously
washed by a stream of water. Then as the "tailings "of the pulp that is to say
the particles of less specific gravity are less acted upon by gravity they tend to
adhere to the belt in a less degree than the concentrates do and are consequently
more readily washed away. The concentrate particles are thus separated from
the others and are carried or conveyed by the motion of the belt to a different
receptacle to that into which the tailings are washed.
Now in the process which forms the subject of this invention I employ a far
more potent and effective force than that of gravity namely centrifugal force for
the purpose of causing particles of greater specific gravity than others to reach
and frictionally adhere to a vanning belt or shaking or moving surface and I
thereby secure a more effective means than any hitherto employed of selecting
concentrating or separating from a mass of particles those of greater specific
gravity than others. Thus inasmuch as all substances take up or become imbued
or endowed with centrifugal force in the ratios of their respective specific gravities
it will be readily understood that in dealing with mixed substances such for
instance as quartz and copper pyrites which have specific gravities of say. 2.6
and 4-2 respectively the "difference" of specific gravity between the two is only 1.6.
These figures therefore represent the utmost probability of the pyrites being
separated from the quartz by the action of the ordinary Frue Vanner. If
however there can be brought to bear in connection with the operation of the
Frue Vanner such au amount of centrifugal force as may be represented by a
factor of say 100 the corresponding "difference" under such centrifugal action
will be 160 as against 16 under more gravity. The probability of the pyrites
being separated from the quartz will thus be increased a hundred fold.
The apparatus necessary for the purpose of carrying out this process consists in
its simplest form of a revoluble vessel in which one or more apparatuses corre-
The direction of
sponding in the main to the Frue Vanner is or are fixed.
centrifugal force being always radial to the axis of revolution, however it will be
understood that the working forces of the vanning belts (corresponding to the
horizontal inclination of the same under the action of gravity as in the ordinary
Frue Vanner) are always towards the axis of the revoluble vessel, and that the
head of the belt that is to say the end of the belt to which the concentrates are
carried is the part or end thereof nearest to the axis of the revoluble vessel. The

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process, of and Apparatus for. Effecting the Concentration and.
Separation of Solids.
I JONATHAN ALDOUS MAYS residing at 1 Belsize Terrace Hampstead in the
County of London, Gentleman, 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 :—
In concentrating or washing minerals from crushed or powdered substances, such
as ores or earths as hitherto effected the difference between the specific gravities
of the various substances dealt with has been mainly relied upon as the means of
effecting separation and among the contrivances employed for the purpose of
bringing this difference into play are apparatuses usually known, as "Frue
Vanners." In these apparatuses the "concentrates". of the substances under
treatment that is to say those of the particles of a mass of pulp or 'sludge which
are of greater specific gravity than others, are enabled and. caused to reach and
temporarily adhere to or remain upon the surface of an endless travelling belt
which is subjected to a continuous vanning or shaking movement and where the
pulp is also continuously washed by a stream of water. Then as the tailings"
of the pulp that is to say the particles of less specific gravity are less acted upon
by gravity they tend to adhere to the belt in a less degree than the concentrates
do and are consequently more readily washed away. The concentrate particles
are thus separated from the others and are carried' or conveyed by the motion of
the belt to a different receptacle to that into which the tailings are washed.
66
Now in the process which forms the subject of this invention I employ a far
more potent and effective force than that of gravity, namely centrifugal force for
the purpose of causing particles of greater specific and weight than others to reach
and frictionally adhere to a vanning belt or moving surface and I thereby secure
a more effective means than any hitherto employed of selecting concentrating or
separating from a mass of particles those of greater specific gravity and weight
than others. Thus inasmuch as all substances take up, or become imbued or
endowed with centrifugal force in the ratios of their respective specific gravities it
will be readily understood that in dealing with mixed substances such for instance
as quartz and copper pyrites which have specific gravities of say 2.6 and 4.2
respectively the "difference of specific gravity between the two only 1.6
These figures therefore represent the utmost probability of the pyrites being
separated from the quartz by the action of the Frue Vanner.. If, however, there
can be brought to bear in connection with the operation such an amount of
centrifugal force as may be represented by a factor of say 100 the corresponding
"difference" under such centrifugal action will be 160 as against 1.6 under mere
gravity. The probability of the pyrites being separated from the quartz will thus
be increased a hundredfold.
99.
The apparatus necessary for the purpose of carrying out this process consists in
its simplest form of a revoluble vessel in which one or more apparatuses corre-
sponding in the main to the Frue Vanner is or are fixed. The direction of
centrifugal force being always radial to the axis of revolution, however, it will be
understood that the working forces of the vanning belts (corresponding to the
horizontal inclination of the same under the action of gravity as in the ordinary
Frue Vanner) are always towards the axis of the revoluble vessel and that the
"head" of the belt that is to say the end of the belt to which the concentrates
are carried is the part or end thereof nearest to the axis of the revoluble vessel..

page_text: e tailings or particles of lesser specific gravity are carried off by the action or
of a stream of water in an opposite direction to that of the concentrates.
In the accompanying drawings in which like letters refer to like parts the axis
1 or imaginary as the case may be of the revoluble vessel is shewn as vertical,
t it will be understood that such axis may be at any inclination or that it may
horizontally disposed without in any way interfering with the carrying out of
process.
Fig. 1. is a plan, and
The tailings or particles of lesser specific gravity are carried off by the action or
aid of a stream of water in an opposite direction to that of the concentrates.
In the accompanying drawings in which like letters refer to like parts the axis
real or imaginary as the case may be of the revoluble vessel is shewn as vertical,
but it will be understood that such axis may be at any inclination or that it may
be horizontally disposed without in any way interfering with the carrying out of
the process.
Fig. 1. is a plan, and
Fig. 2. is an elevation (part section) of a simple form of machine for carrying
out the process.
Fig. 3. is an inside view, and
Fig. 4. is a vertical section of a travelling belt and accessories.
Fig. 5. shews a shaking device.
Fig. 6. is a vertical section of a continuous form of the apparatus.
Fig. 7. is an elevation, and
Fig. 8. a section of a scraper or disturber.
Fig. 9. is a plan of a modied form of apparatus.
Figs. 10 and 11 are sections of travelling belts.
Fig. 12. is an inside elevation and
Fig. 13 is a plan in which the travelling belt is horizontally disposed.
Fig. 14 is an inside elevation of an inclined travelling belt.
Figs. 15 and 15 are views of inclined travelling belts.
Fig. 16 is a plan of a curved travelling belt.
Fig. 17. is a plan and
Fig. 18 a section (on line 3-3 of Fig. 17) of a curved travelling belt and
apparatus.
Fig. 19. is a section of a special form of belt.
Fig. 20 is a side elevation
Fig. 21. a plan and
Fig. 22 a section of part of a belt with metallic links.
Fig. 23. is a plan of a belt and its accessories.
# 1
In Figs. 1 and 2 A is a base-plate having a central boss a bracket a¹ and upper
boss a². These bosses form the bearings in which rotates the vertical spindle B
which supports and carries the revoluble parts of the machine, and this spindle is
driven by a belt running on a pulley b. a³ are columns which support the annular
collector C its cover c and the upper part of the machine c¹. D is a basket or
vessel rigidly fixed to or integral with the spindle B. E is a centrally fixed funnel
and e is a tubular continuation thereof which forms the device by which the pulp
or ore and water is fed into the revoluble annular chamber e¹ whence by centrifugal
force it flows into the radially disposed tubes and thence is deposited upon the
vanning or travelling belt G. is a fixed central pipe through which a stream
of water flows to the revoluble chamber whence by centrifugal action it is
carried through pipes and thrown upon the travelling belt G along which it
flows by centrifugal action and carries the tailings into the receptacle i. The
funnel É the tube e and pipe f are firmly held in their places by the upper part c¹
of the cover c.
g
In Figs. 3 and 4 is shewn on an enlarged scale the part of the apparatus in which
or by means of the operation of which the materials dealt with are actually
separated into concentrates and tailings. Near the outer wall D of the revoluble
vessel or basket is disposed one or more travelling belts G of india-rubber or other
suitable material. Each of these belts is supported by and passes over two rollers
with spindles gỗ. These spindles run in bearings formed in side plates and are
caused to revolve by any convenient mechanism either continuously or inter-
mittently. In these figures the motion is intermittent and is produced by means
of the rod catch hand ratchet wheel which latter is fixed rigidly to one
of the spindles g¹. A longitudinal reciprocating motion can be conveniently given
to the rod from an eccentric on the central fixed stem e. This reciprocating

page_text: i
movement causes the catch ¹ to rotate the ratchet wheel and consequently the
spindle g' and the roller which carries on it the travelling belt G. This belt has
thus a travelling motion in the direction of the arrows and its separating surface
is always presented towards the axis of the machine. is a collector for receiving
the tailings and is a similar collector for receiving the concentrates on the same
being thrown off by centrifugal action from the lower end of the belt. is a
back plate for supporting the separating area of the belt and preventing it from
sagging outwards under the influence of centrifugal force.
In Fig. 5 is shewn a modification in which the rod gives a lateral shaking
motion to the belt as well as longitudinal motion. For this purpose the extreme
end of the rod is connected to one extremity k of the bell crank lever K which
is pivotted at ¹ to an integral part of the basket or vessel D. The other
extremity is connected by means of the link to the pin k forming part of or
fixed to one of the sides y3 of the framing. By this means the reciprocating motion
of the rod is caused to produce a lateral shaking motion in the sides g' and
belt G.
In the foregoing figures the tailings and concentrates are carried respectively
into receptacles i and 7 and consequently the action of the machine is intermittent
as it is necessary to stop the machine in order to empty these receptacles. But in
Fig. 6 is shewn a modification in which the action of the machine is continuous the
tailings as they are thrown off being deflected by the cover c into the fixed annular
collector C, whence they flow away through the pipe c³. The concentrates in like
manner escape direct into the additional annular collector c³.
In the foregoing paragraphs forms of apparatus are shewn and described in
which the pulp is disturbed and separation is effected by the action of the stream
of water and the movement or shaking of the belt only, but in Figs. 7 and 8 an
additional or alternative disturbing element is introduced. This consists of a
frame L from which project a number of teeth which reach to or near to the
surface of the vanning belt G. This frame is supported by guides and has a
lateral motion given to it by the eccentric (revolving with the shaft 1) and rod 1.
The rotation of the shaft may be effected in any convenient manner. The frame L
being thus put in lateral motion relative to the longitudinal motion of the belt the
teeth dip into or beneath the surface of the ore deposited upon the belt and by
their consequent disturbing action promote the process of separation. One. or
more of the frames L may be placed between the point of pulp or ore supply e³ and
the water supply, or it may be placed above the point of pulp supply e³ or frames
may be so placed in each position.
The working surface of the travelling belt in all the figures hitherto referred to
is shewn as being even or smooth, but in some cases I divide the surface into
longitudinal recesses or furrows.
By introducing suitable appliances or means for effecting the same lateral shaking
or vanning movements may be given to the travelling belts, and such shaking or
vanning movements may be varied or modified so as to produce as well motions
either longitudinal to the belt or radial to the axis of the basket or vessel or to any
suitable combination of any such motions.
In Figs. 12 and 13 the travelling belt is disposed horizontally and in Fig. 14 it
is shewn as at an angle between the vertical and the horizontal. In other respects
these horizontal or inclined belts are similar to those shown in the figures already
described.
In Fig. 15 the separating surface or face presented towards the axis of the
machine is inclined transversely to its length at such an angle that the pulp or
sludge being deposited upon its lower edge from the pipe e the tailings are washed
off over the upper edge g' into any convenient moving or fixed receptacle while the
concentrates are by reason of their adhesion to the surface of the belt carried
along with it in its longitudinal movement until they are discharged from its end.
In the Fig. 15 shewn the inclination of the belt is obtained by reason of the
spindles g being inclined, but the inclined face of the belt may be conveniently

page_text: obtained with vertical spindles by the use of a belt of the section shewn
in Fig. 15.
In all the preceeding figures each belt has been shown and described as having
its separating surface extending in a straight line from end to end, but in Fig. 16 a
belt is shewn which has its working surface curved in a circular or approximately
circular path in which position it is retained either by centrifugal force or by
guides or rollers as hereinafter shewn and described. The circular or curved path
is equally suitable to belts from which the tailings are discharged from one end or
over the edge of the belt.
The shaking or vanning motions may be applied to any of the belts hereinbefore
shewn and described and the longitudinal motion of any belt may be either
intermittent or continuous.
The velocity of the water or pulp stream as the case may be flowing over the
travelling belt may be controlled in all the foregoing cases by adjusting the tailings
end of the belt so that it is either brought nearer to or carried farther away from
the general axis or centre of revolution. In this way the removing force of the
flowing stream may be so adjusted as to balance to the requisite extent the
centrifugal or radial force which tends to press the particles upon the belt.
The carrying out of this process by the aid of the apparatus thus described is
effected as follows:
The revoluble parts of the apparatus are put in motion by means of the driving
belt running upon the pulley d. A suitable supply of water is then furnished by
means of the stationary pipe f to the revoluble chamber f¹ whence it flows
through the radially disposed tubes to the travelling belt G along which it flows
or passes until on reaching the end of the belt it is thrown by the action of
centrifugal force into the receptacle i and thence by overflow or through a suitable
aperture into the fixed collector C or instead of or in addition to the flow of water
thus produced a supply of pulp of requisite consistence is fed in through the
funnel E and the tube e into the revoluble chamber e¹ whence it flows through
radially disposed and suitably shaped tubes on to the travelling belt G where it
becomes subject to the simultaneous influence of centrifugal force which tends to
retain upon the belt all the solid materials or ore and to the force of the water
operating at an angle to centrifugal force and tending to carry everything off
the belt.
In Figs. 17 and 18 is shewn a modified form of apparatus in which the wall of
the revoluble vessel D forms the support or guide for the belt fulfilling the same
function as the back-plate g³. The belt G is carried round by and in contact with
the inner surface of the wall D until it reaches one of the guide-rollers g which
guides and deflects it from its circular path and causes it to pass round the guide
roller g'. These guide rollers are journalled in an independent frame g³ which may
be made to support also the receiver and feed funnel E. The pulp or sludge
being fed in at E and e' and the machine revolving in the direction indicated by the
arrow the tailings are as before washed off over the edge of the belt into the
trough C while the concentrates are retained by centrifugal force upon the face of
the belt G until the latter passes round the first guide roller 9 and reaches the
point where the direction being reversed it is thrown off by centrifugal force
into the receptacle i. Either or all of these spindles may be geared with the
wall D or with the central spindle B or the floor and central spindle of the vessel D
may be dispensed with leaving only the wall D as a ring to support the belt G
in which case the belt may be propelled by either or all of the guide rollers 9
and g..
The concentrate receptacle may be lifted out at intervals for the purpose of
emptying or it may discharge into an annular cavity in the floor of the vessel D
(where such is used) and thence through orifices into a suitable annular receiver.
Fig. 19 shews a section of a special form of belt for use where the guide rollers
sometimes employed press only upon the edges and not upon the working surface of
the belt.

page_text: Figs. 20, 21 and 22 shew a belt the base of which is formed by steel or other
metallic links y upon which the rubber or other suitable material which forms the
.working.surface is placed.
Fig. 23 shews a plan of a machine in which the belt is caused to dip into a vessel
of water at the concentrates end for the purpose of rendering more certain..the
.removal of the concentrates. This is effected by having one of the guide-rollers g
larger than the other as shewn, or an additional roller might be added for the
purpose...
The operation of the machine shewn in Figs. 17 and 18 is similar to. those already
described with reference to preceding figures except that a modification of action is
produced by the altered position of the concentrates receptacle.
Instead of being fed or supplied to any of the belts as a sludge or pulp the ore
may be supplied in a dry condition.
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:
1. The process of concentrating or separating substances of different specific
gravities from each other by washing such substances upon a moving surface or
travelling belt while under the influence or action of centrifugal force.
2. The process of concentrating or separating substances of different specific
gravities from each other by centrifugal action by causing particles of greater
specific gravity than others to temporarily adhere to that face of a travelling belt
or moving surface which is presented towards the point of origin of centrifugal
force and causing such particles to be released from such adhesion when the face
of the travelling belt is turned by the motion of such belt and becomes presented
away from instead of towards the point of origin of centrifugal force.
3. A centrifugal concentrating or separating machine which consists of one or
more flexible moving or travelling belts disposed with their separating surfaces
presented towards the axis of a revoluble vessel or its equivalent means for
supplying either together or separately water and ore to such belts and separate
receptacles for receiving the concentrates and tailings.
4. A centrifugal concentrating or separating machine which consists of one or
more flexible moving or travelling belts disposed with their separating surfaces
presented towards the axis of a revoluble vessel or its equivalent means for
supplying either together or separately water and ore to such belts means for moving
.such belts and separate receptacles for receiving the concentrates and tailings.
5. In a centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the mechanism for giving
a lateral shaking motion to the moving or travelling belts or surfaces.
6. In a centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the mechanism for giving
a longitudinal shaking motion to the moving or travelling belts or surfaces.
7. In a centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the mechanism for giving
a shaking motion to the moving or travelling belts or surfaces in a direction radial
to the axis of rotation.
8. In a centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the mechanism for
disturbing or raking the sludge or pulp upon the separating surface substantially as
shewn and described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.
9. In a belt for use in a concentrating or separating machine a metallic chain or
system of links for supporting and carrying the flexible material forming the
Beparating surface of such belt substantially as shewn and described with reference
to Figs. 20, 21 and 22.
10. In a centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the combination of a
revoluble vessel or its equivalent means for rotating the same one or more moving
flexible travelling belts or surfaces mounted therein means for moving such belts
longitudinally an ore or pulp supply either with or without a water supply and a
: concentrates receiving device.
"
11. In à centrifugal concentrating or separating machine the combination of a

page_text: revoluble vessel or its equivalent means for rotating the same one or more moving
flexible travelling belts or surfaces mounted therein means for moving such helts.
longitudinally an ore or pulp supply either with or without a water supply and a.
fixed annular collector for concentrates.