AN APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS
Year: 1884

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ROBERT ROBINSON of Howlish, Hall near Bishop Auckland in the County of
Durham Mining Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my, invention for AN
APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS to be as follows:-
Referring to the accompanying plan the washer A is an inverted frustum of a
cone made of iron plate, with annular water space, B, perforated inside with small
holes, with a branch pipe leading to an elevated cistern.
C, and D are two slides' for passing the refuse out of the bottom into wagons
without stopping the washer.
E, is a cast Iron cross with either iron or wooden arms and fitted with iron
blades to agitate the coals and water in the washer-This is driven by a small
engine on the top of the frame or may be driven by a Belt from any other power.
F. is the spout for passing the coals into the top of the washer-The supply is
regulated by the slide I.
G. is the box for passing the washed coal from the top edge of the washer into
wagons.
This box is fitted with perforated plate at the top end to run the water from tho
coals into the settling cistern H, This water is pumped back into the cistern by
Pulsometer Pump for further use.
The necessary quantity of water is passed into the branch pipo at the bottom of
the washer through the perforated holes and up through and over the edge of the
washer carrying the coals with it, and the stones and other refuse settle down on
the slide C. To get rid of these the top slide is opened and they then fall on the
bottom slide D. Then shut the top' slide which holds the water up-Draw open
the bottom slide and the stones and other refuse drop into the wagon-Thus the
washer is kept working regularly.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ROBERT ROBINSON of Howlish Hall near Bishop Auckland in the County of
Durham Mining Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL OR OTHER MINERALS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
E
Referring to the accompanying plan the Washer A is an inverted frustum of a
Cone made of Iron plate with annular water space B B perforated inside with
small holes with a branch pipe leading to the source of water supply-The water
may either be obtained from an elevated cistern as shewn in the plan or may be
forced by the aid of a pump direct into the annular water space-The water in the 1
case of a small machine may be let in at one side and in case of larger machines at
both sides of the water chamber at the points marked B and B by a water ring-
The Water chamber is shewn by figure 3 on the said plan-The upward motion of
the water in the Cone causes the coal or other minerals intended to be washed to
rise and the denser impurities to fall to the bottom.
C and D are two slides with an open space between them-When the top slide
is taken out the impurities fall on to the bottom slide-The top slide is put back
and the bottom slide opened to let out the impurities-In this way the refuse falls
into the wagons without stopping the Washer."
E is a cast iron cross with four iron or wooden arms as shewn by figure 2 on the
said plan and fitted with iron blades to agitate the water and coals or other minerals
in the Washer.
F is the Spout for passing the coals into the top of the Washer-the supply is
regulated by the Slide I.
G is a box or spout for passing the Washed coal or other minerals from the top
edge of the Washer into wagons. The vertical motion of the water causing both
water and coal or other minerals to be discharged over the side through the box or
Spout This box or spout is fitted with perforated gauze to run the water from the
coals or other minerals into the cistern H-This water is either pumped back into
the elevated cistern by Pulsometer or other pump for further use or pumped
again direct from the cistern H into the Water chambor B. B.
The iron cross marked E is made to revolve in the Cone by a small Engine on
the top of the frame or may be driven by a belt by steam, water, or air power, or
by other mechanical means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
An Apparatus for separating stone dirt and other impurities from coal or other
minerals requiring to be washed and freed therefrom as shewn by the plan;
consisting of a vessel for receiving the coal or other minerals containing such im-
purities and the application in such vessel of an upward stream or pressure of water
for the purpose of separating, floating, and carrying away by a vertical motion of

page_text: the water the coal or other minerals, leaving the impurities behind; and by the
application of motive power in the same vessel to secure at the same time a
horizontal motion of the Water.
2. The arrangement of the Slides at the bottom of the Cone so as to discharge the
impurities without stopping the Washer.
3. The arrangement of the Water chamber with holes for the water to enter the
vessel at the bottom.