A Portable Prospecting Machine for Use in Mining and Working on the Dry Process.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM LEGRAND CARD, of 418, Olive Street,
Saint Louis (Missouri), in the United States of America, Mining Engineer.].
A Portable Prospecting Machine for Use in Mining and Working
on the Dry Process.
I, CHARLES NOE BENJAMIN WETZLAR, of 170 New Bond Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention to be-as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of a simple but efficient portable
apparatus working on the dry process, and destined to replace certain of the usual
cumbrous equipment now carried by persons engaged in prospecting operations
connected with metalliferous mining.
A machine constructed according to this "Invention comprises a fan or blower; an
inclined detachable screen placed in front thereof; and a feed hopper arranged
between the fan and screen, and above the rear end of the latter, the whole being
arranged to operate substantially as hereinafter described.
The fan or blower is. so arranged as to deliver a continuous blast of air, in an
upward direction, through the screen, which can be set at a suitable angle, in order
to suit different grades of material to be treated, and which has been previously
pulverized or broken.
This screen, which forms an important feature of the invention, consists of a
rectangular frame in which is fixed a sheet of fine wire gauze, and above and against
which is likewise fixed a corresponding sheet of silk bolting-cloth. Extending across
the screen, in the direction of its width, are a number of bars which divide the screen
into riffles or compartments, and into which the various grades of the material fall
by gravity. These bars, at the same time, act as stops to prevent the said material
flowing off the screen.
The hopper has one of its ends formed as a door or gate which can be raised, or
lowered, to more or less open or close the exit of said hopper, according to the size or
grade of material to be treated, and to regulate the descent of such material on to
the screen.
Now, on the gate or door of the hopper being raised the material falls on to the
screen, and the fan or blower, which is driven by any suitable gearing, worked by a
hand wheel, delivers the air in an upward direction, and in fine jets or currents,
through the meshes of the screen, thus separating the various materials and throwing
off the refuse from the screen at its lower end, while retaining the valuable metals on.
said screen.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Portable Prospecting Machine for Use in Mining and Working
on the Dry Process.
1, CHARLES NOE BENJAMIN WETZLAR, of 170 New Bond Street in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the construction of a simple but efficient portable

page_text: prospecting hand machine working on the dry process, and destined to replace certain
of the usual cumbrous equipment .now. carried by persons engaged in prospecting
operations connected with metalliferous mining.
A machine constructed according to the invention comprises a fan or blower
(arranged within a shell); a downwardly inclined detachable screen or ore bed, and
a feed hopper formed between the fan and screen, and above the rear end of the latter;
the whole arranged to operate substantially as hereinafter described.
And in order that the invention may be readily understood, I proceed to describe
the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
".
Figs. 1 and
are side elevations of the machine, taken from opposite sides.
Fig. 3 is a plan of fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, on line , z, of fig. 3.
Fig. 5 an end view of fig. 2.
Fig. 6 a detached view in plan on a larger scale, of the screen or ore bed, and
Fig. 7 a cross section of the same, on the line of fig. 6.
A A are the side frames of the machine which are connected together by tie-rods a,
and by the cross piece B. Within the frame-work, and extending to the said piece B,
is a metal shell C, in the rear end of which. is mounted, on an axis d, a fan or
blower D which is arranged to deliver a continuous blast of air into the shell and
thence in an upward direction through the screen or ore bed J, hereinafter
described. The axis d is supported by arms or brackets d*, bolted to the sides of
the machine. Near the other end of the machine is another axis f. on one end of
which is mounted a pinion g which gears into a toothed driving wheel H, worked by
hand, and mounted on an independent axis h. The other end of the axis carries a
grooved wheel G over which, and the pulley e, on the fan axis, passes an endless cord
or strap, by means of which motion is communicated to the fam; but it is
obvious that any other suitable arrangement of gearing may be used for rotating
the fan.
The shell C is formed of sheet metal, and is let into the inner sides of the
frames A A. It extends up to the cross piece B so as to prevent the air, which is
taken in at the eye of the fan, from escaping at any point but through the screen or
ore bed, and which, as before stated takes place in an upward direction, as shown by
the arrows.
C
This screen or ore bed J, which forms an important feature of the invention,
consists of a rectangular recessed frame j in which is stretched and fixed, a sheet of
wire gauzej of suitable mesh, according to the material to be treated. Over this
sheet is likewise stretched and fixed a sheet of silk bolting cloth 2. Extending
transversely of the length of the screen are a number of rods 73, fitted in the frame j,
and dividing the upper surface of the screen into riffles or compartments into which
These bars
the various grades of the material fall by gravity, from the feed hopper.
are by preference placed at. inch apart, and act as stops to check the material under
treatment as it flows along the screen or ore bed. Said screen is arranged in a
downwardly inclined position, as shown in the drawings, and fits into grooves cut in
the inner side of cach of the frames A A. Its rear end lies directly under the hopper
and its fore end rests on the cross piece B. It is essential that this screen should fit
perfectly air tight in the framework A A.
K is the feed hopper, the back and front ends of which are formed of sheet metal,
or other suitable material, and the sides of which are constituted by the side
frames A A. The front end of this hopper forms a door or gate, and is arranged
to slide in grooves cut in the side frames. This door or gate can be raised or lowered
at will, to more or less open or close the exit of the hopper, according to the size or
grade of material to be treated, and to regulate the descent of such material on to the
screen or ore bed.
The working of the machine is as follows:-The material having been broken, or
pulverized, into as regular a size as possible, is thrown into the hopper, care being
taken. that the door or gate is closed. The fan is then set in motion, by revolving
the hand wheel H, and the door or gate is then sufficiently raised to allow material to

page_text: descend, by gravity, on to the screen or ore hed J. The fan delivers the air into the
shell C, where, having no other outlet than through the meshes of the screon or ore
bed, it is forced to pass up and through the same in fine jets or currents, and to
thereby separate the material. The refuse or tailings are discharged from the
machine in the direction of the arrow y the lighter portions being blown away, while
the valuable metal which the ore, or quartz, may contain is retained by the checks or
stops on the screen or ore bed which is then slidden out of the machine and its forc
end slightly tapped, when, if there be any metal in the material treated, it will be
found lying in the riffles.
Having now described the invention and in what manner the same may be
performed, I claim :-
1. The construction and use of a portable prospecting hand-machine, working on
the dry process, and consisting of a fan or blower arranged to send a current of
air upwardly through an inclined detachable screen or ore bed having transverse
checks; and a feed hopper supplying the screen with ore, substantially as and for
the purpose described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a prospecting machine such as is above referred to, a screen or ore bed con-
sisting of a frame provided with wire gauze and silk bolting cloth and with
transverse bars dividing up the surface of the screen or ore bed into riffles or cou-
partments, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3. 4. 6 and 7 of the
annexed drawings.
Dated this 24th day of June 1889.
ERNEST DE PASS, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
68, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.