Patent ID: 8343025

Claim:
A centrifugal concentrator for separating particulate material of higher specific gravity from a liquid slurry comprising a liquid and particulate material of different specific gravities comprising: a) a housing; b) a hollow drum having an open upper end, a hollow interior providing an inner surface, a lower end provided with a discharge outlet for removal of particulate material and being adapted for rotation about a central vertical axis; c) means for rotatably supporting the hollow drum on an axis within said housing; d) a drive motor comprising a vertically oriented drive shaft for rotating the hollow drum about the axis; and e) material supply means to deliver said liquid slurry into said hollow interior of said hollow drum; wherein said hollow drum is supported for rotation in said housing on said drive shaft, said drive shaft forming said central vertical axis of said hollow drum, wherein said drive means is supported in a position vertically above said hollow drum and whereby said hollow drum hangs from said drive shaft and said lower end of said hollow drum is suspended above a concentrate recovery area.