Iм- PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OR DRESSING METALLIC ORES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Collom, of Wheal Zion, in the
County of Cornwall, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OR DRESSING METALLIC
ORES."
Sealed the 10th February 1871, and dated the 20th August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick
Collom at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th August 1870.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK COLLOM, of Wheal Zion, in the County of
Cornwall, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING OR
DRESSING METALLIC ORES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to save time and labor, and at the same
time more effectually to cleanse metallic ores.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a circular table, which is so
formed that the upper surface of the same shall incline from the centre

page_text: towards the outer circumference equally all round. This table is caused
to revolve by means of a shaft or axis, to which it is affixed by arms or
other suitable means, and around the inner circumference of the table
I arrange a pipe or pipes for the reception of water from a cistern or
other source of supply. The pipe (or pipes) is perforated, and the water
from the same runs constantly down the inclined surface of the table.
The ore to be operated upon (which has been previously crushed if
required) is fed to the circular table at a point towards the inner cir-
cumference or upper part of the incline of the table by means of
"launder" or "shoot," and the ore after being so deposited on the
table is carried round away from the "launder" or "shoot," and whilst
being so carried will be washed or dressed by means of the continual
flow of water from the pipe or pipes, and the various particles according
to their specific gravity will be carried a greater or less distance down
the inclined table, and thus separated one from the other, whilst the
refuse or .66
tailings" will be washed over the edge of the table into a
suitable receiver or "hutch" placed around the outer circumference of
the table. The various qualities of ore may be drawn off by endless
brushes supplied with extra water, or by other suitable means,
which are
so arranged as to operate one after the other, the first taking away
the ore towards the outer circumference of the table, and the others
successively taking the ore from nearer the inner or upper surface of
the table, and consequently the most valuable ore will be left till last.
The point in the distance from the top to the bottom of the incline of
the table at which the "launder or "shoot" shall deposit the orc on
the inclined table will be regulated from time to time according to the
size and specific gravity of the particles of ore under operation, and
the inclination of the table itself will be arranged according to the
size and specific gravity of the ores to be cleansed or dressed.
In place
of employing endless brushes or other means for removing the ore from
the table I in some cases place the axle or shaft of the table at an angle,
and by that means obtain a constantly increasing angle to the inclined
table during one half of the revolution of such table, and by that means
I am enabled to get rid of, first, the refuse, and then gradually of the
more valuable portions of the ore.

page_text: table, inclined from the outer circumference towards the centre, and I
remove the ore from the inner circumference, in which case the pipe or
pipes for water will be arranged above the inclined table towards the
outer circumference. In some cases revolving or stationary brushes
may be arranged over the surface of the table in position to turn over
or keep in motion the ore under operation. Streams of water may
be employed in lieu of the endless brushes for removing the ore from
the table.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Frederick Collom in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERICK COLLOM, of Wheal Zion, in the County of Cornwall, Mining
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Frederick Collom, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Frederick Collom, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Frederick Collom,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS. FOR CLEANING OR DRESSING METALLIC
ORES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Frederick Collom, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature, of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Frederick Collom, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 :-
The object of my Invention is to save time and labor, and at the same
time more effectually to cleanse metallic ores.
"
In carrying out my Invention I employ a circular table, which is so
fórmed that the upper surface of the same shall decline from the centre
towards the outer circumference equally all round. This table is caused
to revolve by means of a shaft or axis to which it is affixed by arms or
other suitable means, and around the inner circumference of the table
I arrange a pipe or pipes for the reception of water from a cistern or
other source of supply. The pipe (or pipes) are perforated, and the
water from the same runs constantly down the inclined surface of the
table. The ore to be operated upon (which has been previously crushed
(if required) is fed to the circular table at a point towards the inner
circumference or upper part of the incline of the table by means of a
"launder" or "shoot" supplied with a stream of water, and the ore
after being so deposited on the table is carried round away from the
" launder or "shoot," and whilst being so carried will be washed or
dressed by means of the continual flow of water from the pipe or pipes,
and the various particles according to their specific gravity will be
carried a greater or less distance down the inclined table, and thus
separated one from the other, whilst the refuse or tailings will be
washed over the edge of the table into a suitable receiver or hutch
placed around the outer circumference of the table. The various
qualities of ore may be drawn off by streams of water supplied from
perforated pipes or tubes, or by other suitable means, so arranged as to
operate one after the other, the first taking away the ore towards the
outer circumference of the table, and the others successively taking
the ore from nearer the inner or upper surface of the table, and con-
sequently the most valuable ore will be left till last. The point in the
distance from the top to the bottom of the incline of the table at which
the launder"
"
or " shoot
"shall deposit the ore on the inclined table
will be regulated from time to time according to the size and specific
gravity of the particles of ore under operation, and the inclination of
the table itself will also be arranged according to the size and specific
gravity of the ores to be cleansed or dressed. In some cases I place

page_text: the axle or shaft of the table at an angle, and by that means obtain a
constantly increasing angle to the inclined table during one half of the
revolution of such table, and by that means am enabled to get rid of
first the refuse and then gradually of the more valuable portions of
the ore.
According to another modification of my Invention, instead of forming
the table so that its surface shall decline from the centre towards the
outer circumference, and removing the ore from the outer circumference
of the inclined table, I in some cases form such table declined from
the outer circumference towards the centre, and I remove the ore from
the inner circumference, in which case the pipe or pipes for water will
be arranged above the inclined table towards the outer circumference.
In some cases revolving or stationary brushes may be arranged over the
surface of the table in position to turn over or keep in motion the ore
under operation.
But that the nature of my Invention may be fully understood I will,
and 7 detail views of apparatus arranged according to the first part of
my Invention. In each of the views the same letters of reference are
employed to indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a, a, is the main framing; 6 is the main or driving shaft, to which
motion is communicated by means of a steam engine or other suitable
power c is a pinion affixed on the shaft c¹ gearing into a pinion 61
affixed on the shaft 6 supporting and carrying the circular table f, which
is so formed that the upper surface of the same shall decline from the
centre or inner circumference g to the outer circumference h equally all
round. The table f is affixed to the shaft b by means of sockets j, the
arms k, and stays k¹. is a circular pipe, which by means of the con-
necting pipes m¹ receives a supply of water from a main pipe or tube m,
supplied with water from a cistern or other source of supply. The
circular pipe is perforated on its under side at 1, and the water from
the same runs constantly down the inclined surface of the table f. The
ore to be operated upon, which has been previously crushed if required,
is fed to the circular table by means of a "launder" or
**shoot" n,

page_text: through which a stream of water flows, and the ore after being so
deposited on the table fis carried round away from the "launder" or
"shoot" in the direction of the arrow o, and whilst being so carried will,
by means of the continual flow of water from the circular pipe 1, be
washed or dressed, and the various particles of ore will according to
their specific gravity be carried a greater or less distance down the
inclined table f, and thus separated from the refuse or "tailings" which
will be washed over the edge f¹ of the table f into the receivers or
hutches p, p, placed around the outer circumference of the table f;
1, 1, are stops or disconnections in the circular pipe l; m², m², are taps
or valves for the regulation of the supply of water to the various portions
of the circular pipe 1; 9, 9, are stationary brushes arranged over the
surface of the table f in position to turn over and keep in motion the
particles of ore under operation. These brushes are retained in position
by rods or wires g¹, g¹. 1, are pipes or tubes which are perforated on
their lower sides 1, and receive water from the circular pipe l, and are
so arranged as to operate one after the other, the first 1* being perforated
from 5 to 6, and taking the ore away from the outer circumference of
the table, and washing it into the receiver or hutch s, whilst the pipe
is perforated its whole length, and washes the ore from the inner or
upper surface of the table f, and consequently the most valuable into
the receiver or "hutch" s¹. The pipes 1, 1, are formed with a bend 1º,
which is furnished with a plug capable of removal at pleasure, in order
that when by rubbing the hand along over the perforations in those
pipes any dirt in those perforations which has been pressed up into the
interior of the pipes, by removing the plug and allowing the water to
flow through the pipe freely, all impurities contained in the perforations
will be washed away. The receivers or "hutches" p and p¹ are formed
inclined from the point at which they leave their main receiver or
"hutch" s or s², in order that the water may readily flow away to the
outlets p² and p³. pare " hutches or stops which may be used
when required to retain any ore or solid matters deposited in the
receivers or "hutches" p, p, and they are capable of being raised or
lowered at will to retain a greater or less quantity of the matters washed
into those receivers as may be required; is a drain for the purpose of
carrying off any rain or moisture accumulating under the table f.
(
39
66
"
Figures 8 and 9 show, by plan and sectional views, portions of a table
arranged according to another modification of my Invention. In this

page_text: and the following modifications I have only shewn so much of the
apparatus as will explain the alterations from the apparatus already
described.
According to this arrangement the axle or shaft of the table fis
arranged to revolve at an angle, by which means a constantly increasing
angle is obtained to the surface of the table during one half of its
revolution. The ore is fed to the table f by the "launder" or
" shoot" 12
at the upper part 2 of the same where the angle is least, and the ore
after being so deposited is carried round by the table and washed by
means of a stream of water from the circular pipe l, as in the previous
arrangement. is a pipe fixed at the lowest part of the table f for the
purpose of assisting, if necessary, the washing of the ore remaining on
the table finto the receiver 8. The water and the refuse or "tailings
are carried off by means of the circular receivers or "hutches" P and p²;
as in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. In this arrangement only one half
of the table will be used at one time, the ore. being deposited at the
upper and washed off at the lower side of the same.
وو
Figures 10 and 11 show by plan and sectional views another modi-
fication of my Invention. In this case instead of forming the table
declining from the centre towards and removing the ore from the outer
circumference of the inclined table, I arrange the table to decline from
the outer circumference f³ towards the inner circumference f*, and I
feed the ore to the table by the "launder" n at the outer circumference,.
and remove the ore from the inner circumference f*. The circular pipe
is arranged round the outer circumference f³, and causes a constant flow
of water to pass down the table for the purpose of washing or dressing
the ore deposited by the "launder" or " shoot" n. The ore is washed
off by means of a pipe or tube * similar to those described in respect of
the previous arrangements. m, m³, are service pipes receiving water
from the mains m for the supply of water to the apparatus by means of
the upright pipes or tubes m³. The circular pipe is supported by means
of the upright pipes m³, which are bent over so as to be out of the way
of the revolving table f. t, t¹, are a pair of receivers or "hutches"
arranged round and below the inner circumference f' of the table f.
The hutch "
<
or receiver t receives the water and the refuse or
tailings " from the whole circumference of the table, except that part
from 1 to 2 where it is covered by a shield u. The object of the
shield is to prevent the ore after being washed or dressed from passing
6

page_text: into the receiver or "hutch" t, and to conduct it into the receiver or
"hutch" .. .., ts, are shoots to carry off the water and matters from
the receivers or "hutches" t, t. It will be seen that the receivers or
"hutches" t, t¹, are formed inclined from the point 4 to the point 5,
and the shoot from the receiver or "hutch
receiver t. A side view of the "launder'
dotted lines in Fig. 11.
"
or
"
t¹ passes through the
"shoot" n is shown in
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means by
which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details shown and described,
as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character
of my Invention; but what I do claim is, the arrangement or com-
bination of means or apparatus for cleansing or dressing metallic ores,
substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Collom, have 1
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
C. F. COLLOM. (L.S.).