US880430A - Ore-separating apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED PEB. 25, 1908 T. VBITGH.

ORE SEPARATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DBO.19.1906

/NVENTOH l W/TNESSES a@ 7% JAW WAM UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS VEITCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.ASSIGNOR TO .INTERNATIONAL PATENT CORPORATION, OFJERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA,

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.A

Original application filed November l2. 1906. Serial No. 343.075. Divided and this application filed December 19. 1906.

' Serial No. 343.637.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS VEITCH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Ore-Separating Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

In many branches of manufacture it is desirable to graduate and separat'e granular material according to its speciiic gravity, and a large number of devices have been constructed for purposes of this general character. It has been found that when adding liquids-.to granular material, the separation sought to be brought about is particularly facilitated by using apparatus in which the centrifugal force is the s eciiic means for graduating the'material and separating it according to its speciiic gravity. It is a well known fact in science that in using such a process, material of higher specific gravity will tend to place itself at a greater distance from the aXis of rotation than material of lower specific gravity. In applying machines of this character to mining, and more particularly to the recovery of precious metals from ore, it has been found that the combination of a process of separating material of diierent speciiic gravity with that of amalgamating precious metals for the purpose of removing the metal from its ore,-

Would greatly simplify the treatment-of ore,

and it is the object of the present invention to provide a process and an apparatus for this purpose, which will accomplish the same work in one simultaneous and continuous process and in one ap aratus as heretofore has been accomplishe by an entire series of separating processes and apparatus.

With this end in view, the present invention consists of an apparatus for separating and raduating granular material by subjecting lie same in the presence of suitable liquids to the action of centrifugal force, while, in treating metalliferous ores if desired, the amalgamation of the separated metallic componente may be brought about by theuse of mercury. The waste and gangue inboth cases are removed by continuous siphoning.

The present application is adivision of the application, Serial Number 343,075, iiled November 12th, 1906, and limited to the apparatus, while the original case describes vtion of the ore.

The ap aratus, used in carrying out the several o jects of the present invention, consists in a preferably cylindrical nece tacle, into which by means of an adjustable head-pressure, liquids, lhaving' distributed therein the granulated material, intended to be separated, are forced by means of a tangential duct, whereby a rotary movement of the contents of the receptacle is brou ht about, resulting in the separation and gra uation of the component parts, according to their different spe'ciiic gravities, and simultaneously removing the liquids and the components -having the lowest specific gravity through siphoningxby means of a centrally located draft-tube.

If metalliferous ores are used, the separation of the precious metals from the ores may be brought about by the process of amalgamation through mercury, suitably located in the apparatus.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation and in part section of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 a horizontal cross section in the line A-A of Fig. 1

The apparatus consists of a casing or receptacle 1, made of metal or Wood, and res-ting upon a 'suitable su port 2. This receptacle is provided wit a bottom 3, inclinedtoward the center and having a faucet 4.' A top or cover 5 closes'the u per end of the receptacle and may-be attac ed thereto inany suitable manner. A sleeve or stuifing-box of this topsurrounds a draft-tube 7, movable therein by means of a hand wheel on a shaft 8, having a pinion 9 in mesh with a rack 10 on the tube 7. The tube 7 may reach to the bottom of the receptacle 1, while its upper end may be bent downward in form of a siphon.

The receptacle l has at or near its bottom an opening 11, coinciding with a feed-tube 14, connected to the receptacle 1 in a tangential direction, so that any liquid entering the receptacle through the tube is compelled to move around the inner walls of the receptacle and cause a rotary motion of the entire contents, depending in its speed and force upon `the degree of ressure resulting from the difference in leve between the surface of the Vliquid in the receptacle and in the inlet or feed-tube. The o ening 11 is closed by means of a shde 12, a apted to be operated by a lever 13. A tube 15 is inserted into the tube 14 and movable therein by means of a hand-wheel 16 and a pinion 17 on the tube 14, and a rack 10 on the tube 15. The upper end of the tube 15 is in the shape of a funnel 19 and serves to receive liquids from a supply-pipe 20 and granulated material from a chute 21.

By raising or lowering the tube 15, the head of liquid, contained in the tube, will be altered. The raising or lowering of the pipe 7 in a similar way changes the level of the liquid in the container or receptacle 1 of the -apparatus as will be noticed hereinafter, and

' granulated material contained in the liquid becomes graduated and separated into concentric circular layers or Zones of different specific gravity. The' components of higher specific gravity are located further away from lthe axis of rotation than the ones of lower specific gravity. The liquid and its floating components further attain the form of a hollow inverted cone or whirlpool, rising along the walls of the receptacle, while the apex of the inverted cone isin the axis of the receptacle. Should the tube 7 be absent and the receptacle open at its upper end, the liquid contents'of the same would simply be thrown off over the edge of the receptacle.

When in the course of the operation the tube 7 is n'ow lowered into the inverted cone, the liquid of the receptacle enters the tube and is thereby removed from the range of the centrifugal force causing the rotation of the liquid within the receptacle, and when the level of the li uid in the tube 7 reaches the upper bend, t e same is siphoned off of the receptacle, which process continues under the laws of hydrostatics as long as liquid is present in the receptacle.

Any solid particles suspended in the li uid have been arranged, as already stated, according to their specific gravity in concentric circular zones, Vand the particles of the lowest specific gravity are now sucked in and siphoned off through the tube 7. If, for instance, precious-stone bearing clay should be used, having been previously granulated to a suitable size, the clayey material will remain sus ended in the li uid and siphoned 0H throug the tube 7, w 'le the precious stones or any-other suspended particles of higher specific gravity may be removed by suspending the entire operation, in which case these particles will be foundin superimposed layers at and near the bottom and lower end of the walls of the receptacle, or they may be removed by means of suitably placed tubes, the'openings of which reach Withinv the receptacle at greater or lesser distance from its axis, or finally drawn off through the faucet 4.

lrVhen now theapparatus is intended to be used for the concentration of metalliferous ores and more particularly for the recovery of precious metals from the ore, the bottom 3 of the receptacle 1 may hold a supply of mercury, while the inner face of the walls may also be covered with a lining of amalgamating plates, so that when the precious metal particles come in contact with the mercury, they form thel corresponding amalgam, which may be removed from time to time from the apparatus.

The process of treating granulated material in an apparatus constructed according to the present invention is continuous, and the separation and graduating of the granular material, and, in case of treating metalliferous ores, also the process of amalgamating is simultaneous. The means for chan ing the head of liquid, the substitution of sip on tubes of different diameters, the raising and lowering of the si hon tubes and the regulation of the size o lthe inlet opening into the receptacle, allows of variation of the rocess within wide margins, so that for different material any adjustment ofthe apparatus, based upon practical experiments, brings about a final result, representing the highest percentage of the possible output.

As new and useful is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination with a closed circular receptacle, ofa vertically adjustable feedtube adapted to feed granulated material in the presence of liquid tangentially into said receptacle at or near the bottom of the same, a vertically adjustable Siphon tube, the portion of the same within the receptacle being centrally located and the adjustment of the same having a range extending substantially the whole\height of the receptacle, and mans for lowering and raising said siphon tu e.

2. The combination with a closed circular receptacle having a conical bottom adapted to hold a quantity of mercury, of a vertically adjustable feed-tube adapted to feed granulated material in the presence of liquid tangentially into said receptacle at or near the bottom of the same, a vertically adjustable Siphon tube, the portion of the same Within` the receptacle being1 centrally located and the adjustment of t e same havin a'range extendingubstantially the Whole eight of raising said Siphon tube.

said Siphon, a pinion and turning shaft on the top of the receptacle and engaging said rack and adapted to raise and lower said 15 siphon.

the receptale, and means for lowering and 3. The Combination with a closed circular i receptacle, of a vertically adjustable feedtube adapted to feed granulated material in 4 Signed at. New York, in the County of the presence of liquid tangentially into said New York and State of New York, this 30th reoeptaol1 at (r nearbthe blttoin (if thlsame, day of November, A. D. 1906.

a vertioa y a 'usta e si on tu e, t e orj y tion of the sanie within he receptacle bging l THOMAS VEITCH centrally located and the adjustment of the i same having a range extending substantially I the whole height of the receptacle, a rack on Witnesses:

SIGMUND HERZOG, MARVIN F. Woon.

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