Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Separating, and Classifying Coal and other Minerals.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Separating, and
Classifying Coal and other Minerals.
We, ANDREW KESSON, DUNCAN CAMPBELL, SAMUEL POTTS and WILLIAM
REID, of Greenfield Foundry, Hamilton, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is
to say:
This invention comprises a combination of improved apparatus for treating coal,
more particularly when in a broken condition, by washing and other processes so
as to separate stones and earth, and so as to classify the coal according to size, the
improved apparatus being also applicable for similarly treating other minerals.
The apparatus is arranged in a building or structure of considerable height, to
the upper part of which the small or broken coal is raised by an elevator for being
conveniently transferred generally in a downward direction from one piece of
apparatus to another. The coal is first fed into the upper end of a first rotating
inclined cylindrical riddle or screen; and one portion acted on by this riddle is fed
into a vertical conical washer in which stones and other matters heavier than the
coal are separated. The conical washer has a rotating central vertical shaft,
having on it a cross frame to which agitating blades are fixed and which has in
addition fitted to it rotating blades driven by pinions on the upper ends of their
shafts, these pinions gearing with a central fixed pinion and being made to rotate
by being carried round by the cross frame. Water enters with considerable force
at the bottom of the conical shell, at one or more inlets, and also at one or more
other inlets about halfway up the side of the shell. The action of the water
carries the coal to the top whence it overflows with the water through an outlet
the opening of which is adjustable by means of a dipping plate. The stones
descend and pass off continuously or intermittently through a bottom port fitted
with a slide to adjust the extent of opening. The bottom port is connected to an
inclined trunk having in it an elevator which raises and delivers the stones, the
trunk being full of water up to the level of the water in the conical shell. The
coal delivered from the top of the conical washer is passed through a rotating
inclined cylindrical riddle or screen to be further separated or classified into different
sizes.
Other portions of the coal acted on by the first riddle are fed into two pieces
of apparatus in each of which there is in one compartment a reciprocating piston
made and operating like that of a jigger, but instead of the-water acting as in an
ordinary jigger it is made to circulate continuously there being light inlet valves
fitted to the sides of the compartment below the piston through which valves water
enters during the upward strokes of the piston. The piston compartment is one
part of a tank the other part of which has near the top a horizontal or slightly
inclined sieve or diaphragm of wire gauze or perforated metal, on which the coal
is placed. At the end of the tank furthest from the piston an overflow is arranged
having adjustable sides and a hood with an inner adjustable dipping edge, and an
outer adjustable bottom weir. The action of the water moving upwards inter-
mittently through the sieve separates and throws the coal up to the surface whilst
the current produced a gradual movement towards the outlet. The water level
is above the outlet hood, and beyond the hood there is a second slightly inclined
sieve which is principally for draining the water from the small coal which is
moved over the sieve to a discharge shoot by an endless band of scrappers or paddles.
Clean water is sprayed on the coal passing over this sieve to wash way any
remaining fine dust. The materials passing through the hooded outlet, and the

page_text: water and dust from the draining sieve descend through pipes or passages to the
bottom of an elevator trunk which raises the solid materials and delivers them from
its upper end. From the bottom of the elevator trunk a separate and distinct
passage extends upwards for the return of the water to the pistons of the apparatus.
The water in this separate passage is undisturbed by the action of the elevator
buckets, and solid particles can settle down, so that the water reaches the top in a
very clean condition; and the space of the top being enlarged the water passes
without agitation through the valves into the piston compartments of the
apparatus. One elevator trunk and one return water passage serve for both the
pieces of similar apparatus.
For the purpose of recovering very fine coal dust which is suspended in the used
water a settling tank is provided, of an elongated form horizontally, and of a width
narrowing towards the bottom. An elevator or endless chain of buckets is
employed for removing the settled dust, a part of this chain being guided along
the bottom of the tank which is formed with a groove corresponding in shape to
the buckets and these act as scrapers in moving along the bottom. The buckets
are made with fine perforations to drain off the water as they rise out of it.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of May 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Separating, and
Classifying Coal and other Minerals.
We, ANDREW KESSON, DUNCAN CAMPBELL, SAMUEL POTTS, and WILLIAM
REID, of Greenfield Foundry, Hamilton, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineers, 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, that is to say:
This invention comprises a combination of improved apparatus for treating
coal, more particularly when in a broken condition, by washing and other processes,
so as to separate stones and earth, and so as to classify the coal according to size,
the improved apparatus being also applicable for similarly treating other minerals.
The apparatus is arranged in a building or structure of considerable height, to
the upper part of which the small or broken coal is raised by an elevator for being
conveniently transferred generally in a downward direction from one piece of
apparatus to another, this general arrangement being similar to that of existing
apparatus for the same purpose. Our improvements are applicable to various parts
of the apparatus, and will be most readily apprehended on our at once proceeding
to describe the same with the aid of explanatory drawings which are on three
sheets hereunto appended and are hereinafter referred to.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, is a vertical section of the building or structure, with
various parts of the apparatus within it shown in elevation. The figures on
Sheet, 2, are enlarged views of what is termed a conical washer, Figure, 2, being
a sectional plan, Figure, 3, a vertical section, and Figure, 4, an elevation of stirring
apparatus within the washer as viewed at right angles to Figure, 3.
Figure, 5, on Sheet, 3, is an enlarged vertical section of jigging apparatus and
parts connected therewith. In these drawings the same reference letters and
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts whereever they are repeated.
The coal is carried by an elevator or endless chain of buckets the framing, A, of
which is shown in Figure, 1, to the highest part of the building, and is thence first
fed into the upper end of a first rotating inclined cylindrical riddle or screen, B;
and one portion acted on or separated by this riddle is fed into a vertical conical
washer, C, in which stones and other matters heavier than coal are separated.
The conical washer C, which is of the Robinson type (described in Patent

page_text: Specification No. 67898) and is shown in detail on Sheet, 2, of the drawings,
has a rotating central vertical shaft, D, having on it a cross frame, D 1, to which
agitating blades, D2, are fixed, and which has in addition fitted to it rotating
blades, D3, driven by pinions, D 4, on the upper ends of their shafts, these pinions
gearing with a central fixed pinion, D 5, and being made to rotate by being carried
round by the cross frame, Di. Water enters with considerable force at the bottom
of the conical shell, C, at one or more inlets, C 1, and also at one or more inlets, C 2,
about half way up the side of the shell, these inlets being supplied by branch
pipes, C3, C4, with regulating valves from a main supply pipe, C5. The action
of the water carries the coal to the top whence it overflows with the water through
an outlet, C 6, (Figure, 2,) the opening of which is adjustable by means of a
dipping plate. The stones descend and pass off continuously or intermittently
through a bottom port, C 7, fitted with a slide to adjust the extent of opening.
The bottom port, C7, is connected to an inclined trunk, C8, having in it an
elevator, C 9, which raises and delivers the stones, the trunk being full of water up
to the level of the water in the conical shell, C. The coal delivered from the top
of the conical washer, C, is passed through a rotating inclined cylindrical riddle or
screen, E, to be further separated or classified into different sizes.
Other portions of the coal acted on by the first riddle, B, are fed into two pieces
of apparatus, G, in each of which there is, as shown in Figure, 5, in one
compartment a reciprocating piston, G 1, made and operating like that of a jigger,
but instead of the water acting as in some jiggers, it is made to circulate
continuously, there being light inlet valves, G 2, fitted to the sides of the compartment
below the piston, G 1, through which valves water enters during the upward strokes
of the piston. The piston compartment is one part of a tank, G, the other part of
which has near the top a horizontal or slightly inclined sieve, G 3, or diaphragm
of wire gauze or perforated metal, on which the coal is placed. At the end of the
tank, G, furthest from the piston, G 1, an overflow, G4, is arranged, having
adjustable sides and a hood, G 5, with an inner adjustable dipping edge, G 6, and
an outer adjustable bottom weir, G 7. The action of the water moving upwards
intermittently through the sieve, G 3, separates and throws the coal up to the
surface whilst the current produces a gradual movement towards the outlet, G 4.
The water level is above the outlet hood, G 5, and beyond the hood there is a
second slightly inclined sieve, H, which is principally for draining the water from
the small coal, which is moved over the sieve to a discharge shoot, H 1, by an
endless band, H2, of scrapers or paddles. Clean water is from perforated
pipes H 3, sprayed on the coal passing over the sieve, H, to wash from it any
remaining fine dust.
The materials passing through the hooded outlet, G 4, and the water and dust
from the draining sieve, H, descend through pipes or passages, G 8, H 4, to the
bottom of elevator trunks, J, J 1, the elevators, J 2, in which raise the solid
materials and deliver them from their upper ends. From the bottom of the
elevator trunk, J, a separate and distinct passage, L, extends upwards for the
return water to the jigger pistons, G 1, of the apparatus.
The water in this
passage, L, is undisturbed by the action of elevator buckets, and solid particles
can settle down, so that the water reaches the top in a very clean condition, and the
space, L1, at the top being enlarged, the water passes without agitation through
the valves, G 2, into the piston compartments of the apparatus, G. Two pieces of
this apparatus have been mentioned but only one is seen in the drawings, the other
being exactly behind the one seen and being exactly like it excepting that it is
adapted for a different size of broken coal. One elevator trunk, J, and one return
water passage, L, serve for both pieces of apparatus, G, the passage, L, leading
the water up into spaces in communication with the two sets of inlet valves, G 2,
arranged so as to face each other. The space in the tank, G, beneath the
sieve, G 3, is provided with an outlet closed by a sliding valve, G 9, which is
opened at intervals to allow solid matters which have passed down through the
sieve, G 3, to pass into the discharge pipe, G 8.

page_text: the tank.
- For the purpose of recovering very fine coal dust or sludge which is suspended
in the used water, a settling tank is provided, in connection with which there is an
endless chain of buckets for raising and delivering the settled coal dust or sludge,
the buckets of the endless chain being moved to some extent along the bottom of
This as we have ascertained is a well known arrangement, and it is
unnecessary to describe it in detail, as we do not make any claim respecting it.
The separated coal delivered by the discharge shoot, H 1, is led down an inclined
conveyer, M consisting of an endless band of plates, into a riddle, N, by which it
is subjected to a final separation into two or more sizes.
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. The combination of parts constituting as a whole the improved apparatus for
washing, separating, and classifying coal and other minerals, and comprising
improvements in some of the parts substantially as hereinbefore described and as
shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improvements in the Robinson washer and consisting in applying to the
agitating blades or some of them rotation about their own axes in addition to the
rotation of the frame carrying them substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The improved construction of the jigging apparatus, and more particularly
the providing of an upward return passage, L, for the water separate from the
trunk or passage in which the bucket elevator works, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Twenty-third day of February 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.