Improvements in Centrifugal Ore Separators.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept.. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Ore Separators.
I, ORRIN BURTON PECK, a Mining Engineer, residing at No. 225 Dearborn
reet, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, do hereby
clare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
rformed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:-
In the drawings
an view of my improved apparatus:
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section taken in the line 6 of Fig. 5, looking in the
direction of the arrow, and
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a partition to .be hereinafter described and
lettered "G."
In making my improved apparatus for separating powdered or finely divided
particles containing mineral bearing substances of different degrees of specific
gravity, I make a pulley A, preferably of large diameter, mounted on and revolved
by a rotatable shaft B, which may be rotated by a pulley at its top or in any other
suitable way. The top of the pulley A is provided with an inwardly extending
flange C, with an upwardly extending rim c, which is carried up a desired distance.
The belt D, made of any suitable material, and with its inner upper surface
preferably bevelled or chamfered to present a separating surface preferably
inclined, is arranged on the pulley and extended far enough above the same to
It also makes, between the uprising rim of
present a sufficient separating surface.
the pulley and the separating surface of the belt, an annular channel in which the
material to be treated may be deposited. Of course, if desired, the uprising rim c
of the pulley may be dispensed with, as the action of centrifugal force would carry
the material under treatment outward, and thus render the uprising rim of the
pulley unnecessary. I arrange two of these pulleys in near juxtaposition to each
other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and preferably mount them both on the same bed
plate E. Between the pulleys A are preferably arranged idlers F, which bear
against the outer surface of the belt between the main pulleys A, and bring the
sides of the belt close together, so that, as the belt passes around the idlers, its
direction or course is abruptly changed as it spreads out again to encircle the
pulleys A. Between the main pulleys and between the idlers is arranged a
partition G, provided with pockets g, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, adapted to
catch the material thrown off from the belts while passing around the idlers, as
bereinafter described. A water spraying pipe H is arranged within the separating
surface of the belt, and preferably carried around the greater portion of its circum-
ference in each pulley. A material supplying pipe is arranged to deposit the
material to be treated on the receiving surface or flange C of the pulley A, at or
near the point where the belt first engages with the pulley after leaving the idlers
in the course of its travel. The material deposited on the receiving surface or
flange of the pulley is carried by the action of centrifugal force against the
separating surface of the belt, and up along the same as it travels in its course
around the pulley, where it is subjected to the gently spraying water from the water
pipe H, which assists the action of centrifugal force in driving and throwing off

page_text: the lighter particles of the material to be treated. The heavier particles adhering
to the separating surface of the belt are carried in its travel to a point where
it passes around the idlers and its course abruptly changed, when they are thrown
off from the surface of such belt at a tangent by the action of centrifugal force,
as shown at J, in Fig. 2. The particles thus thrown off are caught in the pockets
of the partition G, whence they pass through a hole to the desired place to be
secured. The removal of the heavier particles from the separating surface of the
belt is rendered easy from the fact that as soon as the belt leaves the pulley and
ceases to travel in a circle, the particles are no longer held against it by the action
of centrifugal force. In other words, centrifugal force ceases to be developed and
to operate on the particles to cause them to adhere to that portion of the belt
which has ceased to travel in a circle, so that the particles may be readily removed.
Instead of using idlers, therefore, to cause the particles adhering to the belt to be
thrown off from its surface, other means may be employed to remove the particles
from the belt. I have shown modified means for this purpose in the last two
sheets of the drawings. In the modified form of apparatus illustrated in these
sheets, I have dispensed with the idlers, and have carried the belt direct from one
pulley to the other, and to detach the heavy particles adhering to the separating
surface of the belt, I employ water pipes L, throwing jets or streams of water
with sufficient force against the separating surface of the belt as it passes from one
pulley to the other, and where it is running in a straight course. In this way the
particles are washed off from the belt at the time they are relieved from the action
of centrifugal force and allowed to fall down into pockets or compartments formed
on the bed plate by the partitions M and N, thence they are carried through a hole
to the desired place of deposit to secure them.
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. In centrifugal ore separators, the combination of rotatable pulleys and a belt
provided with a separating surface, and travelling around such pulley during a
portion of its course, and at a tangent to a circle in another portion of its course,
substantially as described.
2. In centrifugal ore separators, the combination of rotatable pulleys and a belt
provided with a separating surface, and travelling around such pulleys in a circle
during a portion of its course, and at a tangent to a circle in another portion of its
course, substantially as described.
3. In centrifugal ore separators, the combination of rotatable pulleys, a belt
provided with a separating surface and travelling around such pulley during a
portion of its course, and at a tangent to a circle in another portion of its course,
a material supply pipe depositing material to be carried against the separating
surface of the belt at or near the point where it enters its circular course around
the pulley, and a water pipe spraying water against the separating surface of the
belt while passing in its circular course, substantially as described.
4. In centrifugal ore separators, the combination of rotatable pulleys, a belt
provided with a separating surface and travelling around such pulley during a
portion of its course and at a tangent to a circle in another portion of its course,
à material supply pipe depositing the material to be carried against the separating
surface of the belt at or near the point where it enters its circular course around
the pulley, a water pipe spraying water against the separating surface of the belt
while passing in its circular course, and means for detaching the particles adhering
to the belt while passing through the tangential portion of its course, substantially
as described.
5. In centrifugal ore separators, the combination of rotatable pulleys, a belt
provided with a separating surface and travelling around such pulley during a
portion of its course, and at a tangent to a circle in another portion of its course,
and idlers abruptly changing the course of the belt from a tangential to a circular

page_text: course to cause particles adhering to its separating surface to be discharged,
substantially as described.
6. In centrifugal ore separators, a belt provided with a separating surface
travelling a portion of its course in a circular direction, means for causing such
travel of the belt, and means for supplying the separating surface of the belt with
the material to be separated, substantially as described.
Dated by
ORRIN BURTON PECK.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.