Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Ores.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Ores.
I, RORERT ANGUS, of Lugar Iron Works, Cumnock, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Ironmaster, 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 :-
My said Invention has for its object to provide simple and effective apparatus
for washing ores, and especially such as are associated with clayey or adhesive earths
capable of being loosened by and suspended in water.
My improved apparatus consists essentially of a semicylindrical trough of con-
siderable length having working within it a number of blades on a longitudinal shaft,
and being supplied with water at one end of the trough and also by a perforated pipe
extending along above the trough at one side.
On an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, is a plan, and
figure, 2, is a side elevation of the apparatus. Figure, 3, is a transverse vertical
section of the trough.
The trough, A, which is internally semicylindrical, and which is shown as built up
of a number of segmental iron plates bolted or riveted together by means of external
flanges, but which may be made of any other suitable material, is shown as placed at
a slight inclination upon supporting blocks, B; it may however be placed level.
Along the trough, A, and concentric with its semicylindrical interior, there is carried
a shaft, C, which has fixed on it a number of radial arms or blades, D, which the
rotation of the shaft causes to break up, and separate the ores from the clay and other
matters; and these blades, D, or some of them are made or set so as to present
inclined surfaces by which the ores are made to move gradually along the trough.
The shaft, C, is driven by means of bevil wheels, E, from a steam engine the position
of which is indicated at F, in figure, 1. A cistern, G, is shown for supplying water
to the trough, one pipe, H, being led from this cistern to the entering end of the
trough; whilst another pipe, J, extends from the cistern along the entire length of the
trough above one side and is perforated at suitable intervals so as to direct jets of
water on the ores. The cistern, G, may be supplied with water by means of pumps
if water from an elevated source is not available, or the water may be pumped directly
into the pipes, H, J.
The ores to be operated on are put into the upper end of the trough, A, and may be
tipped thereinto from a truck, for which rails, K, are shown in figure, 1, as at one
side of the trough these rails being at a high enough level. At the lower or discharge
end of the trough there is an inclined shoot, L, down which the washed ores descend
into a truck, M, placed to receive them, or it might be on to a bing or ore heap, the
water with the clay or other matters suspended in it passing through perforations or
a grating in the shoot, L, into a rhone or conduit, N, which conveys it away to waste,
or into settling ponds.
Movable partition plates, P, are provided to be placed in suitable positions in the
trough, A, when it is found desirable to retard the movement of the materials and
water along the trough in order that the ores may be thoroughly washed.
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. Combining the parts of apparatus for washing ores substantially in the manner
herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. For washing ores, a long semicylindrical trough, having revolving in it upon a
longitudinal shaft, blades shaped or placed so as to break up and separate the clay

page_text: from the ores and move the materials slowly along the trough, together with a pipe
or pipes for supplying water to various parts of the trough substantially as herein-
before described.
3. In apparatus comprising parts referred to in the second claim, providing movable
partition plates for regulating the movement of the materials and water along the
trough substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Thirtieth day of December 1889.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.