US2148068A - Ore concentrator - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1939. c. M. FULLER ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed June 6, 1936 4 Shets-Sheet l INVENTOR. cfimues' M. U R. BY 7 ATTORNEY.

Feb. 21, 1939. c FULLER 2,148,068

ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed June 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHQRLE a M. Fm. 1. ER

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 21, 1939. Q FULLER 2,148,068

ORE CONCENTRAT OR Filed June 6, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 K INVENTOR.

mm V. FULLER BY ATTORNEY.

Feb. 21, 1939. c M. FULLER 2,148,068

ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed June 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /6 e b o o IAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA INVENTOR. CHHRLES M. FOLl-EE ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 21, 1939 Q UNITED ST ATENT) omen Charles M; Fuller, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to E. D. Wilkinson, Stockton, Calif.

Application June 6, 1936, Serial No. 83,908 12 laims.. (01. 209415) This invention relates to ore concentrators and has for its objects the provision of apparatus for handling value bearing vore in a dry condition for separating the heavier values therefrom by pneumatic means in combination with .ore concentrating tables having tensioned' membrane tops and .rifl les arranged for entrapping the values from ore passing over such-tops and means for releasing the entrapped values to prevent excessive accumulation of values with the tailings. Other objects are the provision of means for facilitating the separation of so called flour gold from sand or ore and for accelerating the separation of all values of various sizes from the 'ore. Other objects and advantages will appearin the drawings and description annexed hereto. v

In the drawings,

broken away to reveal several of my improved ore concentrating tables. v

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2,-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary. sectional view showing the construction of the tables in detail, and also the air lines connecting with the tables and the ore feedingarrangement for feeding ore to the'tables. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through enact the tables along a line 1-4 of Fi 3. I Fig. '5 is a. fragmentary sectional view taken through one of the tables along the line-5'-5 ofv Fig. 3, omitting the riflle.

Fig. 6' is a plan view of one of the tables on one side-of the central air line extending between the two rows of tables, with a portion of the table onthe opposite side of the air line in section. Portions are broken away and in 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of another form of riiile, the same as that-of Fig. 8,

except for the .omission of the holes and. sawtooth or notched lower edge.

s In detail, each of the concentrator tables comprises a plurality'of tensioned strips l of fabric or other suitable porous membranous material, said strips being disposed in an inclined plane surface of the strips. Fig. 1 is an elevational, semi-diagrammatic view 20 of a complete ore concentrating plant with part in a row extending from the elevated end of they plane toward the lowered end. The strips are tightly stretched over the upper edges of pairsof spaced plates 2, which plates are disposed with their sides substantially vertical, said pairs 7 5 of plates being spaced from the pair adjacent thereto, leaving a vertically opening horizontal passageway 3 between each of said pairs of plates and .the fabric strips secured thereto.

The marginsof the strips are drawn down over 10 the-outer sides of the plates of each pair and secured against the outer sides by metal strips 5, 5'. The successive plates from the lower end of the table toward the elevated end are of progressively higher elevationat their upper edges 15 so as to give the proper inclination to the upper surface of thetable top as defined by the upper The metal clamping strip 5 is the strip engaging the plate 2 of lowest elevation of each pair and strip? is the strip en- 20 gaging-the higher plate. The upper edge of metal strip 5 is-slightly below the plane of the fabric strip that it serves to clamp against the lower plate 2 and the upper edge of strip 5"is elevated above theplane of the strip-that it serves to 25 .2' and the end margins of the fabric-strips, said 30 walls extending upwardly to engage at their upper edges with a cover I, and-an end plate 8 extends vertically across the lower end of the table, but spaced therefrom to permit tailings to pass between the end plate and table. An inclined bot- 5 tom plate 8' connects with the. end plate 8 at the upper" edge thereof and leads to a conveyor 9 for carrying the tailings away.

' end of the table and in a plane substantially 5o coincident with the arm [2.

The ends l4, ll of the riilie are in extension of the arm l2, and are cylindrical. Said ends ro tatably pass through side plates 6. The end It" of each rillie is slightly longer than the end It 5 for apurpose later to be described. Along its lower edge, the arm II may be notched or cut away to generally a saw-tooth formation as at l5 and openings "may be formed therethrough above the notches, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the arm II of the-Y, is a sort of vertically disposed, horizontally elongated flange, and is the portion of the rifile that provides a working face on the side facing the elevated end of the table for obstructing the downward passage of the heavier valuesover the table and the leg of the Y overhangs the strip 5 and plate 2 adjacent the working face of the rifle to form a sort of pocket I8 removed from the influence of-blasts of air that are directed upwardly through the fabric strips I, as will be explained later.

,On the ends I4 of the riflles are vertically extending crank arms I9, said arms being pivotally connected at their upper ends to an elongated bar slanted to the same degree as the table, the upper end of said bar being at the head of the table or elevated end thereof, and the lower end being adjacent the lower end of the table. A lever 2|, adjacent the lower end of the bar, projects vertically through a slot in cover 1, and is pivotally connected, at 22 to.the bar, and to side plate 5 at 22, for revolving all the riiiles simultaneously, thereby lifting the flange II of the rifiles to allow the values adjacent the working face thereof to fall, through space 3 between the adjacent pairs of plates 2, to an inclined chute 23 leading outwardly at 24 through the bottom plate 5' for collecting on a conveyor or a suitable container, not shown.

It is important to note that the position of the upper edge of strip 5, below the plane of the fabric strip I adjacent thereto, precludes any chance of small particles of gold or other values becoming lodged against the working face of flange II in such a manner as to prevent the release of such values upon revolving the rifile to raise flange II relative to strip 5.

While I show the flange II with a notched lower edge for continuously "bleeding values into space 3, thelower edge of the flange may be straight, and spaced from strip 5 by means of an adjustable bolt on a bracket 3| at the upper end of the table (see Fig. 3) which bolt engages at its outer end the upper end of bar 20 that connects the crank arms. The riflies tend to drop automatically to close along adjacent edges of flanges II and strips 5, even when ore is passing over the tables, hence-by adjusting bolt 30, and locking it by nuts, as shown, in an adjusted position, a small width slot or a large one may be maintained between strips 5 and flanges II, respectively, and this adjustable feature is desirable even when the lower edges of the flanges are notched. The openings in the flanges above the notches serve as auxiliary "bleed" means for use as such in certain cases where the flanges are relatively wide and are less frequently raised to pass the entrapped values to space 3.

Below the fabric strips I, and extending longitudinally of each table is an air conduit 32 (Fig. 5), which conduit is cut away, at those portions between the plates 2 of each pair of plates, on the upper side thereof so as to permit free communication of air between the conduit and the area below each of the fabric strips I, while below the riiiies, or between the adjacent plates of pairs of plates, the top of the conduit is closed by an inverted V-shaped top 32 so that values released to fall into space 3 will be deflected to opposite lateral sides of the conduit for falling onto the bottom 23 for discharge through opening 24.

The vertical cross-sectional area of conduit 32 progressively decreases from the end thereof adjacent the elevated end of the table toward the lower end, which lower end is provided with a valve 33 for regulating the effective pressure or suction force of air in the conduit according to whichever is applied.

At their upper ends the conduits 32 connect respectively with valves 34, that are fitted with power operated rotary valve members later described, and an air.pressure line 35 extending along the row of valves communicates with each of the valves, a power operated blower 38 being qperatively connected to line 35 at one end thereof as seen in Fig. 1.

Above the valves 34 and communicating therewith is an air suction conduit 31. This conduit has straight sides and an inverted V-shaped top, the sides of which are provided with openings 38, each of which communicates. with the area above the fabric strips I and cover I. A suction blower 39 serves to produce suction in said conduit 31 and to draw dust from above strips I through openings 38 for discharge toa stack 38 or dust collector,

The valves 34 are each fltted with a horizontaL'cyIindrical valve member 40 (Fig. 6), which members are secured on a horizontal, rotatably mounted shaft 4| that extends through opposite sides of the valve casings respectively and which shaft is rotated through suitable reduction gearing 43 at one end thereof, said gearing being driven from the motor 44 of the suction blower or by a separate motor, if desired, the shaft normally being rotated at about 150 R. P. M.

Each of the valve members 40 is divided by a vertical partition 42, and the cylindrical wall at opposite sides of the partition is formed with openings 45, 45, one opening at each side. Ports 41, 45 are formed in opposite lateral side walls of the valve 34 and a vertically downwardly directed port 49 is formed in the bottom wall of the valve casing. Ports 41, 43 are adapted to register with both of the openings 45, 46 upon rotation of the valve member as said openings pass the ports, but the port 45 will register with opening 45 only. The ports 41, 48 communicate with conduits 32 that extend below the fabric strips I of the tables, while port 49 communicates with the air pressure line 35 only.

The upper side of the valve body is formed with a port 50 off-set relative to port 49 to communicate with the opening 46 only, when the body is rotated to bring the opening over the port. Said port 50 communicates with the air suction conduit 31.

The openings 45, 45 are of a size relatively, and are positioned relatively around the cylindrical member 40, so as to form an alternate pressure and suction communication between pressure line 35, suction conduit 31, and the air conduits 32 below strips I of the tables, as the member 40 is rotated. Y

Ore is fed onto the tables through openings 5| at the lower edges of an inverted V-shaped bottom 52 that is spaced above the inverted V-shape top of suction conduit 31, from which openings vertical passageways 53 lead to over the elevated ends of the tables for discharge thereon. Inclined side walls 54 extend upwardly and outwardly of the upper ends 01 the passageways, which inclined Feed to said passageways is controlled by sliding gates 55, operated for opening and closing, by pivotally connected links 56, mounted on brackets 51, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Any suitable means may be used for delivering ore to said passageways, such as conventional elevator 58 feeding to a spout 59 that discharges into an inclined distributing screen 60. f

In operation, it will be seen that as ore'is fed onto the fabric strips of the tables for passage thereover and over the rifles to the lower ends of the tables, the ore will be-subject to intermittent upward blasts of air passing through the strips, causing agitation of the ore and a lifting of the lighter particles with a settling of the heavier particles to the upper surface of the strips of fabric. This is common practice.

Heretofore considerable loss of values has resulted from the piling up of values and ore along the working face of the rifles, with the result that some of the values go over the rifles and are discharged with the tailings, and also the fine flour gold, where gold comprises the values, is also carried upwardly above the upper edges of the rifles. If the gold particles, which are heavier than the valueless ore, are maintained suiiiciently close to the fabric to be caught by the rifles, and are thereafter out of the influence of the upward force of the air blasts passing through V the fabric, and are removed from the path of travel of the main body of ore, they will be saved fromloss with the tailings. It is these things that I accomplish, since by immediately changing the force below the fabric ore supporting top of the table from pressure to vacuum or suction, the finer particles of gold that would ordinarily be kept in suspension above the top by reason of the residual air pressure maintained between blasts are quickly brought back to against the fabric, or at least below the level of the top edges of the rifles and when these particles work downwardly on the table to the working face of the rifles, they will accumulate against the working faces of the rifles respectively and in the dead air space i8 where the blasts of air will not affect them. From this pocket they will continuously filter between the rifles and metal strips 5 to space 3, from which space they are carried away for further treatment or for storage. When ore is particularly adapted for use with dry ore, by

the dry process of concentrating values which differs considerably from the wet processes, al-

though the use of concentrating tables including rifles is common in both processes.

I am not aware of there having been any previous attempts to carry the dust away from the tables of dry concentrators and to utilize this feature to augment the effect of the blasts of air used to agitate the ore and to separate the lighter material from the values. In my device, the fact that there are periods when suction is applied above and below the table top at the same time does not neutralize the effect of the suction below the table in keeping the values close to the table,

since the air conduit below the table top is fully enclosed and the layer of ore on the table is of a material thickness to tend to form a top seal over' the top of the table, while the area over the table is not so enclosed as air is free to enter through slots in the cover that pass the rifle operating handles and also air may enter through the passageway that carries the tailings away. But the suction force above the tables is suflcient to carry away light dust that would otherwise accumulate and be detrimental to health as well as detrimental to the efficiency of the apparatus'for concentrating the values.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In ore concentrating apparatus, an inclined ore concentrating table adapted to support ore thereon for movement on the upper surface thereof in a direction from the elevated end of the table toward the lowered end thereof, a plurality of elongated rifles adjacent the upper surface of the table extending transversely of the ble for allowing obstructed ore on the table to pass the rifles, and means for so moving said rifles, said rifles being spaced 8. small distance apart relative to the length of the rifles and the space between adjacent rifles being unobstructed for free movement of ore on the table.

2. In ore concentrating apparatus, an ore concentrating table provided with a top comprising a plurality of relatively narrow spaced strips of porous tensioned fabric arranged respectively with a flat side uppermost and with the flat upper sides disposed in an inclined plane for forming an inclined upper surface on said top, adapted to support value bearing ore thereon for normal directional movement from the elevated end of the top toward the lowered end, said strips extending transversely of said normal directional movement of the ore whereby one side edge of each strip is elevated above the opposite side edge thereof, means for supporting said. strips spaced apart, and movable means, including upstanding rifles, arranged for obstructing free passage of ore over the spaces between adjacent strips to separate ore values upon movement of ore over said strips, the upper sides of the strips being unobstructed for free movement of the ore thereon between adjacent rifles.

3. In ore concentrating apparatus, an ore concentrating table provided with a top comprising a plurality of spaced, relatively narrow strips of a porous tensioned fabric arranged respectively with a flat side uppermost and with the flat upper sides disposed in an inclined plane for forming an inclined upper surface on said top, adapted to support value bearing ore thereon for normal directional movement from the elevated end of the top toward the lower end, said strips extending transversely of said normal directional movement of the ore whereby one side edge of each strip is elevated above the opposite side edge thereof, means for supporting said strips spaced apart, and means, including upstanding rifles, arranged for obstructing free passage of ore to the spaces between adjacent strips upon movement of ore over said strips, the upper sides of the strips between rifles being unobstructed for free movement of the ore over the strips to the rifles, means for moving said rifles relative to the strips in a direction for permitting ore to pass by the riiiles to the spaces between the strips.

4. In ore concentrating apparatus, an ore concentrating table provided with a top comprising a plurality of spaced, relatively narrow, strips of porous tensioned fabric arranged respectively with a flat side uppermost and with the flat up per sides disposed in an inclined plane for forming an inclined upper surface on said top, adapted to support value bearing ore thereon for normal directional movement from the elevated end of the top toward the lower end, said strips extending transversely of said normal'directional movement of the ore whereby one side edge of each strip is elevated above the opposite side edge thereof, means for supporting said strips spaced apart, and means, including upstanding riilles, arranged for obstructing free passage of ore to the spaces between adjacent strips upon movement of ore-over said strips, the upper sides of the strips between riilles being unobstructed for free movement of the ore over the strips to the riilies, means for causing pulsations of air upwardly through said strips, and means, adjacent each of the riiiles on the side thereof facing generally toward the elevated side edge of the strip positioned adjacent thereto arranged and adapted for obstructing the upward passage of air for creating a dead air space adjacent'each of the riflles.

5. In ore concentrating apparatus, a table having an inclined top adapted for supporting value bearing ore thereon for movement from the elevated end in a direction toward the lowered end, said top being formed with elongated, vertically directed, openings extending in a direction transversely of. the normal directional movement of the ore, riilie bars extending longitudinally of the openings and thereover, bearings revolvably mounting said riiiie bars respectively at their opposite ends, at the inclined side edges of the table, means arranged for revolving said bars therein about axes extending longitudinally of the bars, a portion of each of said rime bars being off-set relative to the axis of rotation thereof, from side to side of the table top and disposed adjacent an edge of the opening adjacent the riiile, whereby upon revolving the bar said pot-'- tion will be moved away from the edge of the opening for permitting ore to pass between said portion and edge'and into said opening.

6. In a construction as defined in claim 5. said top being of porous tensioned fabric, suction means above said top continuously operative for drawing dust from above the top, and air pressure means operative below said top arranged for causing upwardly directed blasts of air through said fabric at intervals.

7. In a concentrating apparatus of the character described, a table having an inclined top of porous tensioned fabric adapted for supporting ore thereon for movement normally in a direction fromtheelevated end of the table toward the lowered end, a plurality of elongated rifiies extending across the top of the table in a direction from side to side of the table transversely of the normal directional movement of the ore, each of said riiiles being formed'with a flange portion extending longitudinally thereof and in a generally vertically disposed plane and projecting above the plane of the top for providing a working face along one side thereof fac-' ing the elevated end of the top, the lower edgeof said flange portion being normally disposed adjacent the top of said table whereby said porsaid portion extending substantially 2,14s,oes

tion will normally obstruct the free movement of ore over the top, means pivotally mounting said riilies respectively for movement of the flange portion generally vertically relative to the top ofthe table in an arcuate' path for freeing ore engaging along the working face thereof, and means adjacent said riilles arranged and adapted for passing the ore thus freed in a direction away from the table top.

8. In ore concentrating apparatus. a plurality of separate, similarly inclined, concentrating ta-- bles arranged in a row with their elevated and lowered ends respectively disposed in horizontal alignment, the tops of said tables being formed of tensioned porous fabric, an air suction and an air pressure line extending longitudinally of the row of tables, cover means spaced above the tops of the tables including walls extending downwardly to the sides of the tables and to the lowered ends of the tables enclosing the area above the tables and means enclosing the area below the tops of said tables, the air pressure line communicating with the enclosed area below said table tops and the air suction line communicating with the area above the tables, means for feeding ore onto the elevated ends of the tables and means for carrying ore away from the lowered ends of the tables, a plurality of riilles extending across the tables and projecting above the fabric top thereof arranged for obstructing the passage of heavier ore values from the elevated to the lowest ends of the tables, the tops of the tables being provided with openings therethrough for permitting passage of the ore values therethrough to below the tops respectively, said riilles normally substantially closing said openings, and means for simultaneously elevating the riilles of each of the tables for uncovering said openings whereby the ore values accumulated against said riilies will fall through said openngs.

9. In a concentrating apparatus of the character described, a table having an inclined top of porous tensioned fabric adapted for supporting ore thereon for movement normally in a direction from the elevated end of the table toward the lowered end, a plurality of elongated riilles extending across the top of the table in a direction from side to side of the table transversely of the normal directional movement of the ore, each of said rifiles being formed with a flange portion extending longitudinally thereof and ina generally vertically disposed plane and projecting above the plane of the top for providing a working face along one side thereof facing the elevated end of the top, the lower edge of said flange portion being normally disposed adjacent the top of said table whereby said flange portion will normally obstruct the free movement of ore over the top, means mounting said riiilw respectively for movement of the flange portion generally vertically relative to the top of the table for freeing ore engaging along the working face thereof, and means adjacent said rifiles arranged and adapted for passing the ore thus freed in a direction away from the table top, the means mounting said riflles including aligned short stub shafts projecting from opposite ends of the riiiles, bearings rotatably mounting said shafts, said shafts being off-set relative to the flange portion of the riflles respectively and means for revolving the riflles including their flange portions on said shafts whereby the flange portion of each riilie will move in 2,148,068 an arcuate' path of travel around the axis of rdtation. of the shafts at its opposite ends.

10. In ore concentrating apparatus, an elongated table formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced, elongated plates disposed with their sides vertical and substantially parallel and extending transversely of the length of the table, a tensioned sheet of porous fabric extending across the top edges of each of the pairs of plates and secured thereto, leaving an elongated open space between said adjacent pairs of plates, an elongated rifiie bar over each of the openings between the pairs of plates, said plates being arranged to support the fabric sheets on adjacent bars thereof in a single inclinedplane extending longitudinally of the table and said riiiie bars each being formed with a flange portion therealong extendmg vertically upwardly from} the side of the opening toward the elevated end of the plane in which the sheets of fabric are disposed with the lower edge of the flange portion adjacent the upper edge of one of said plates thereby providing a working face for ore on the sheet on the side of the flange facing toward the elevated end of the sheet, means for supporting said flange portions at various points of elevation above the plane in which the sheets are disposed for permitting a relatively small amount of material on said sheets to pass between said flange portions to the open space between the pairs of plates, the working faces of the flange portions being v exposed from end to end of the rifiles for free passage of ore on the sheets past the flange portions at any point therealong when the flange portions are supported elevated above the plane of the sheets.

11. In combination with a construction as set forth in claim -10, means for causing intermittent blasts of air below said fabric sheets, and between the plates of each of said bars, for upward movement of the air through the fabric sheets.

12. In ore concentrating apparatus, a plurality of separate similarly inclined concentrating tables arranged in a row with their elevated and lowered ends respectively disposed in horizontal alignment, the tops of said tables being formed of tensioned porous fabric, an air suction and an air pressure line extending longitudinally of the row of tables, cover means spaced above the tops of the tables, including walls extending downwardly to the tables and to the lowered ends of the tables enclosing the area above the tables and means enclosing the area below the tops of said tables, said air pressure line connecting with the enclosed area below the tables, means for feeding ore-into the elevated ends of the tables and means for carrying ore away from the lowered ends of the tables, a plurality of riilies errtending across the tables projecting above the fabric top thereof, arranged for obstructing the passage of heavier ore values from the elevated to the lowered ends of the tables, the tops of said tables being provided with openings therethrough for permitting passage of said ore values therethrough to below said top, said riflies normally, substantially closing said openings, and means for simultaneously elevating the riflles of each of the tables for uncovering said openings whereby the ore values accumulated against said riflies will fall through said openings.

CHARLES M. FULLER.

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