IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR DRESSING ORES AND ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, London, Patent
Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING
OR DRESSING ORES AND ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES."-A communication from
abroad by A. Dufournel, of Vassy, Haute Marne, France, Ironmaster.
Sealed the 12th September 1860, and dated the 13th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th March 1860.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 4,
Wellington Street South, Strand, London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING,
OR DRESSING ORES AND ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES," communicated to me from abroad
by A. Dufournel, of Vassy, Haute Marne, France, Ironmaster, to be
as follows:-.
By the apparatus herein-after described, and shewn in the annexed
Drawing, it is proposed to render the washing of ores and similar substances
more easy, rapid, economical, and complete. The letters I, J, K, M, N, O, P,
Figure 1, and I, R, S, T, V, L, Figure 2 of the Drawing, indicate in plan and
in elevation a cast-iron trough, the bottom of which has an inclination of
about one. to one and a half inches from T to V (Figure 2). The ore is

page_text: thrown into the trough at the end L, P, Figure 1, L, V, Figure 2, leaving it
when washed at the opposite extremity. It is the buckets a, a, a,
Figures 1 and 2, which draw it from the well indicated by the letters
I, J, N, M, Figure 1, and I, R, S, T, Figure 2, and throw it out. The clear
water is introduced by a conduit c, d, Figure 2, cast in the shaft bearer, and
rising in the trough follows its incline, eventually leaving it (saturated with
earth) by the holes i, i, i, made in the half-moon, which closes the trough at
P, Figure 1; to obtain this effect upon the ore and water, the following
operation takes place between the two extremities of the apparatus. The ore
undergoes a first preparation in that part of the trough comprised between
P, L, and 5, y, where are disposed spinally around the shaft two series of arms
or ploughs e, e, e", e, e, and c, c', c", c, c, c, c", which stir it, so to
speak, on the spot. The ears or flukes of the first series of ploughs are not
turned in the same direction as those of the second series, but on the contrary
in the opposite sense, and the same is the case with the two spirals following
which these series are ranged, these two spirals running also in two opposite
directions. By this arrangement the one series c, c¹, c", c, c; c, c.
constantly tends to bring the mineral towards the extremity L, P, from which
the other series e, e', e", ell, e¹v, ev, e, as constantly tend to draw it; and it is
by thus being continually drawn from one spiral to the other that its points of
contact with the water are infinitely multiplied, and the more so that no two
ploughs work on the same point in the trough, but on the contrary are
alternated on the shaft in such wise that the furrow formed by one of them is
immediately divided by the passage of the second. When the ore has
sufficiently accumulated in this first part of the trough, and when it has been
so diluted with water that by the simple effect of its tendency to roll down a
slope it begins to spread out of the line, y, and thus to escape from the circle
of action of the series of ploughs c, c', c", c, c, c, c, the ploughs
е, eure, e, which are but the continuation of the series e to e, and the
ploughs to e, which are turned and disposed in the same sense seize it, and
make it travel up the part of the trough comprised between y and x, Figure 2.
At x, x¹, Figures 1 and 2, the ploughs or arms are discontinued, and from a
certain distance from a to x! the bottom of the trough inclines in an opposite
direction, and the ore arriving continually in an already very diluted state and
partially washed, descends this incline by reason of its tendency to run down a
slope, and directs itself to the grating a, a, placed across the trough. The
bars of this grating, which are shewn, Figure 4, are so separated as to permit
the passage of fragments of a fixed size, which passage is always the effect of

page_text: the fall down the slope, but larger fragments, stones, balls of clay (which form
in all washing), and the agglomerated sand and stones are on the contrary
arrested by the grating, and seized by the teeth o, o', o", o", o", o, Figures
1, 2, and 4, of an iron claw which turns with the shaft; and they are carried
in the direction of the arrow. Figure 5, and finally by the crossing of the teeth
of this claw with the teeth of a fixed claw u, u', u", u, Figures 1, 2, and 5,
they are thrown out. To this end the teeth of the rotating claw are curved at
their upper ends in the form of a spoon, so that the matters just mentioned
may lodge in this curve, and be there maintained until they are withdrawn by
the teeth of the fixed claw, along which they afterwards naturally slide aud
fall without the trough, on the side of which a slope m, n, Figure 1, &, m, n, s,
Figure 2, n, s, Figure 5, is formed to facilitate their exit. On the other side
of the transverse grating a, a, are two spirals directed in the same sense
the one upon the other. These spirals are composed of strong bars of iron.
Prq, d, b, Figure 1, attached to the shaft by equally strong iron arms. At the
end of these arms, near the bars forming the spiral, they are furnished with
iron wires, and this packing gives to the spirals a breadth of about six inches..
When the ore has passed the grating, it is seized by the spirals, which mako
it travel mounting the T, T, of the trough, Figure 2, until it falls into the
well before mentioned, from whence it is raised and thrown out by the
buckets a, a, a, a, Figures 1 and 2, shewn in elevation Figure 6. The
operation is now accomplished, and is continually renewed. The ore is
withdrawn perfectly washed, and at the same time the water that has served
for the washing has arrived at the other end of the apparatus thickened with
earth, that is to say, in the state of mud, only retaining sufficient liquidity to
escape by the openings i, i, i, Figure 3, already mentioned, and from thence
to find its way to the receiver. This system may not only be of great service,
but may be adapted to existing launders and buddles by substituting for the
ordinary bars and wings the ploughs and other combinations above described.
. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 4, Wellington
35 Street South, Strand, London, Patent Agents, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Gedge, 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 APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR DRESSING ORES AND ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES,"
(communicated to me from abroad by A. Dufournel, of Vassy, Haute
Marne, France, Ironmaster.) upon the condition (amongst others) that. I,
tho said William Edward Gedge, 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 bo
filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and forming part of this Specification; and to the figures and letters of
reference marked thereon:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
. I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Figure 1, and I, R, S, T, V, L, Figure 2, indicate
(in plan and in elevation) a cast iron trough the bottom of which presents an
average inclination of about one to one and a half inches from T to V,
(Figure 2).. The ore is thrown into the trough at the end L, P, (Figure 1)
L, V, (Figure 2) leaving it when washed at the opposite extremity. The
buckets a, a, a", (Figures 1 and 2,) drawing it from the receptacle I, J, N, M,

page_text: the trough at P, L, Figure 1. To bring the ore and the water to this re-
ciprocal state the following operation takes place between the two extremities of
the apparatus; the ore undergoes a first preparation in that part of the trough
comprised between P, L, and 2, y, where are spirally arranged around the shaft
two series of arms or ploughs e, 'e', e", e, e, е, е, and c, c, c", c", c³, c³,
c", which stir it so to speak on the spot. The ears or flukes of the first series,
of ploughs are not turned in the same direction as those of the second series
but in the opposite direction, and the same is the case with the two spirals
following which these series are ranged, they also running in two opposite
directions. By this arrangement the one series c to c" constantly tends to
bring the ore towards the extremity L, P, whereas the other e to " as con-
stantly draws it in the opposite direction, and it is by thus being continually
drawn from one spiral to the other, and from one plough to the next, that its
points of contact with the water are infinitely multiplied, and the more so that
no two ploughs work on the same point in the trough, but on the contrary are
alternated on the shaft in such wise that the furrow formed by one of them
is immediately divided by the passage of the second. When the ore has
sufficiently accumulated in this first part of the trough, and when it has been
so waterwashed that by the simple effect of its tendency to roll down the slope it
begins to spread out of the line 2, y, to the left, thus quitting the zone of action
of the series of ploughs c to c", the ploughs e to ex, which are but the con-
tinuation of the series' e to e" and the ploughs c to c* which are turned and
arranged in the like manner seize it and make it travel up the part of the
trough comprised between y and x, Figure 2. At,, (Figures 1 and 2)
the ploughs or arms are discontinued, and for a certain distance (from a tox")
the bottom of the trough inclines in an opposite direction and the ore arriving
continually in a very diluted and partially washed state, descends this incline
by reason of its tendency to run down a slope and directs itself towards the
grating a", a placed across the trough. The bars of this grating, which are
shown at Figure 4, are so separated as to permit the passage of fragments of
a fixed size, the passage resulting from the fall down the slope, but larger
fragments, stones, balls of clay which form in all washing, and the sand and
mineral agglomerated with a resisting guangue are on the contrary arrested by
the grating and seized by the teeth o, o', o", o", o, (Figures 1, 2, and 5) of
an iron claw which turns with the shaft, and they are carried in the direction
of the arrow f (Figure 5) and finally by the crossing of the teeth of this claw
between the teeth of a fixed claw u, u, u; u, (Figures 1, 2 and 5,) they
are thrown out. To this end the teeth of the rotating claw are curved at their

page_text: upper ends in the form of a spoon, so that the matters above mentioned may
lodge in the curve and be there held until withdrawn by the teeth of the
fixed claw along which they afterwards naturally slide and fall outside the
trough on the side of which is formed a slope m, n, (Figure 1,) r, m, n, s,
(Figure 2,) and n, 8, (Figure 5,) to facilitate their exit. On the other side of
the grating a, are two spirals directed in the same sense, the one as the
other. These spirals are composed of strong bars of iron p, q, d, b, (Figure 1)
attached to the shaft by equally strong iron arms at the end of which and near
the bars turned spirally are iron wires which give to the spirals a breadth of
about six inches. When the ore has passed the grating it is seized by the
spirals which make it travel up the part T, T", of the trongh (Figure 2) until
it falls into the receptacle I, J, M, N, (Figure 1,) T, S, R, I, (Figure 2) from
whence it is raised and thrown out by the buckets a, a', a", a", (Figures 1
and 2) on the wheel shewn in elevation at Figure 6. The operation is now
completed and may be continually renewed. The ore is withdrawn perfectly
washed, and at the same time the water that has served for the washing
has arrived at the other end of the apparatus thickened with earth, that is to
say, in the state of mud, with just sufficient liquidity to escape by the openings
,,, (Figure 3) already mentioned to the receivers: The advantages
afforded by this apparatus are (amongst others) that the ore leaves the trough
perfectly washed (which is not the case with ore washed in the apparatus
hitherto used), and this results from the movement of the mineral being always
opposed to the flow of water, and consequently that it is always the clearest
which is in contact with the cleanest ore; also from the working of the
claws which eject, as they are formed, those balls of earth or other matters
which in other apparatus remain to the end of the operation and by their
contact continually dirty the ore which would otherwise be nearly completely
washed, and also from another cause, namely, in most of the alluvion iron ores
(to which ores this apparatus is most particularly adapted) very small particles
of fat clays form in the washing, and these, which are very tenacious and
compact, remain mixed with the ore if washed by the usual processes, but in
this apparatus the current of water being opposed to the march of the ore
penetrates it everywhere and lifts these particles (which are lighter) carrying
them to that end of the trough where the dirty water escapes, and there the
thickness of the water is such, and it is so violently agitated, that these
particles remain in suspension and are carried out with the current as are all
the sands which aro lighter than the mineral. The apparatus should not be
charged with a large quantity of ore at a time and the action will be con-

page_text: tinuous. It is by the disposition of the ploughs spirally around the shaft that
the resistance is divided which would otherwise be entirely felt at one moment
if the ploughs were placed in a straight line parallel to the shaft. The quantity
of water used is very small as it escapes perfectly thickened with earth. From
the two latter circumstances are derived economy of motive power, economy:
and lightness of construction of apparatus and motors, great facility of removal,
as the washer may be laid upon the ground, or upon a light framing, or upon
a carriage, and the motive power communicated by a band and thus be moved
from place to place or where the ore is extracted.
The enumeration of the advantages of the apparatus may be terminated by
stating that the product of cleansed, ore is greater than by other processes, and
this will be readily understood. The ore is crushed and worn, according to the
duration of the washing, at the expiration of half an hour; in an ordinary
machine a certain quantity of the oro would be washed and might be removed,
but is submitted to the action of the bars for a much longer period, that is to
say, until a surplus be washed; but with this improved apparatus, as soon as a
handful of ore is washed, it is thrown from the machine.
The construction of the apparatus is much simpler than would appear from
a glance at the Drawing; what appears the most complicated is the system of
ploughs; but it is not so, each plough as at Q, (Figure 7) is cast in one piece
and presents a share e, an ear r, an arm i, i, 2", ", (which is but a thin
continuation of the share) a half circle or ring V I, V₁ I', which keys on to
the shaft and two ears V, O, V¹, 0¹. This piece is fixed on to the shaft by
the counter pieces v, f, v¹, of the half ring before mentioned. If the plough
has been here preferred to bars, paddles, or other similar apparatus usually
employed in this sort of work, it is because it will more easily penetrate the
mass of ore. In agriculture it is required to penetrate the earth and divide it
as much as possible, and to do this with the least possible expenditure of power,
and if this is done by the plough when operating upon the earth of a field it
will act equally well upon mineral earths and ore to wash which it is neces
sary to divide it as much as possible and multiply its points of contact with
the water. The ploughs may be advantageously used in existing machines in
lieu of the bars or paddles in actual use, and the substitution may be made
with ease by simply fastening them on to the shaft by the collars in two parts
with which they are provided.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me by
my correspondent, and the means by which it is carried into effect, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein

page_text: given, as such may be varied without departing from the principle of the
Invention, but I claim the exclusive use of the plough above mentioned, and
the combination of apparatus herein described and shewn in the annexed
Drawing forming "Improvements in Apparatus for Washing or Dressing Ores
and Analogous Substances."
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JOHN GEDGE,
11, Wellington Street,
Strand.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)