USRE11377E - Charles f - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. 1-". PIKE. ORE WASHER AND GONGENTEATORL Reissued Oct. 24, 1893.

- WITNESSES INVENTOR 2 SheetsSheet 2,

O. P. PIKE. ORE WASHERAND GONGENTRATOR.

Reissued Oct. 24, 1893.

- INVENTOR c J, @261 UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

CHARLES F, PIKE, OF'PIIIIJADELFIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'lO VVI LLIAM A. PIKE, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

ORE WASH'ER AND CONICEN'FRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Fae-a No. 11,377, dated October 24. 1893. Original No. 458,837, dated September 1. 1891- Application for reissue filed June 15, 1893. Serial No. 477,757.

To all whom it may concern:

Belt k'nown thatI, CHARLES F. PIKE,a cili-. zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore W'ashers and Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

I and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which .[0 it appertains to make and use thesame.

the vesselbelow its water level to edect a bottom of the vessel wherefrom they are withdrawn from time to time as desired, while the tailingsand commingled water are discharged from the vessel. 1 I

My invention has for its object simplicity of construction and efliciency'of operation of the washer and concentrator whereby itis capable of rapidly and economically continuously separating the metal from large quan'' tities'or bulks of gauge to make it especially available for use for washing and concentrating low grade ores and materially diminishing the cost of correspondingly working high grade ores. 1

My invcntionhas for its further object to more oi ectually and thoroughly spread or distribute th'e gangue inthe water as it is fed into the vessel and to maintain it while inits distributed condition in a state of agitation to effect a more thorough separation of the heavy particles of metal from the gangue and provide for a more rapid discharge of the tailings from the vessel.

My invention has for its further object to economize in the amount or volume of 'water used for the washingand concentration which economyof water results in a saving of power required for operating the actuating devices necessary for efiecting the washing and concentration. 4

My invention further consists of the c0m-- binations, constructions and arrangements of ,cated at b, Fig. 2,

parts as hereinafter more 'fully described in the specification and pointed outin theclaims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein v Figure 1, is an elevation with parts broken away and in sections, of two ore washers and concentrators embodying niy-invention. Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation of a single washer or concentrator, showing detail modifications and arrangements of water pipes for economizing inthe volume'ofvwater consumed for the washing and-concentrating. Fig. 3, is a plan showing a form of grating for the supply end of the washer and concentrator, and Fig. 4, is a section on the line 11, Fig. 2.

A A represent two forms ofrfe'eding boxes or receptacles, each of which may have an inable form and location desired. From the bottom a of a box, leads a chute pipe Z), which enters and depends into near the bottom of.

an open top cylindrical receiver 13, which is supported in'any suitable manner or as indiupon an outside jacket or chamber 0 soas to admit of chamber B being rotated by a band, chain 'or belt b suitably applied and driven, the actuating or power transmitting devices for said belt I) not being. shown in the drawings, as they are obvious.-

.At ornear the top of'the outer chamber 0 is'a water supply pipe D, and at its bottom is a valve (1 of any suitable or desired construction, toadmit of dra'wingolf periodically or otherwise any accumulations of orein chamher 0 through outlet pipe ('1'.

The bottom of the receiver 13 may be constructed as desired. Thus for instance, it

may be semi-spherical as indicatedby dotted linesb Fig. 2, to correspond with the configuration of the bottom of chamber C, or it maybe in the form of auannular rounding with central conical surface, as indicated by full lines, Fig. 2. Said bottom may be integral with receiver l or otherwise' as desired.

Depending into the receiver 13 is a pipe E which may have an outwardly-flaring or inverted funnel-shaped'lowerend e for embracing or location near to the bottom I) of the receiver B. This pipe B may connect by a slip or other joint. 6 with the inlet pipe fof a suction or sand pump F of the kind which admits of the passage through it of a large bulk or volume of material, the same being a valveless or centrifugal pump, and is commercially termed a coal pump. hen only one washer or concentrator is used as indicated on Fig. 2,1he outlet end f of pump F discharges onto a waste or tailings'grating 'or sluice G. If successive washers and concentrators are employed, as illustrated in Fig. l, the outlet ends f of each successive pump F discharge into the grating box A for the successive washers or concentrators. The grating a may be a fiat open one as shown in Fig. 3, or a revolving cylindrical one, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The operation is as follows: The gangue with the contained bowlders, stones or other bulky matter as contradistinguished from prepared orpulverized gangue, is dumped or supplied to the grating a, which separates from the gangue the bowlders or other large waste material which escapes at the end a of a box. A stream or supply of water may be led into the box above the grating a in any suitable manner as shown ia'the drawings. In Fig. 1, said supply is shown as coming from a pipe f separate or disconnected from the pump discharge pipe f while in Fig. 2, aid pipef is shown as being connected to or is a branch of the pump discharge pipe f which effects an economy in the volume of water used for washing and concentrating and a saving of power for ope ating'the pump F ashereiuat'ter more fully explained. The screened gangue from grating a is conveyed by chute pipe 5 into inner receiver B to near the bottom of the same or below the level of the water therein at which point it is subjected to the upward flow or current of water from the supply pipe B through chamber C and up through the perforations in the bottom or partition b of the receiver B. Such upward flow, current or motio' of water serves, and in agitating and spreading the gangue' in receiver B as it is deposited therein to facilitate the separation of the heavy particles of metal from the gangue which metal falls to the bottom b through the perforations therein to the bottom of chamber G from which they may be withdrawn'as desired by opening the valve din outlet pipe (1 for chamber (3. The agitation of the gangue in receiver B is further facilitated by revolving the I receiver B, so that during the small interval of time which elapses between the passage of the gangue into receiver B and its subjection to the action of. the pump F,-sucl1 gangue is thoroughly spread and agitated in receiver-Bio admit of the heavy particles of metal falling through the gangue to the bottom of receiver B. The waste or tailings and commingled water are raised or lifted through pipe E by the pump l xanddischargetl therefrom as the condition or form of the ore in the tailings 'rebe run at a speed less than that of the pump 1 for the first one; or in other words, the discharge from the former is less than that from the latter. This diifcrence of discharge admits of more thoroughly separating the metal from the gangue without waste of metal. Instead of varying the discharge of the pump or pumps by diiferentiation of running speed, the same maybe accomplished byadjusting the funnel ende of pipe E to and from the bottom'b of the receiver B, so as toincrease or decrease the suction force of pipe E, and to this end the pipes E are provided with a slip or adjustable joints 9', or, the side of the re: ceiver B may be provided with an opening h, closed by any suitable valve h, which when closed causes all the water entering the receiver B from chamber 0 to pass through the perforations in the bottom b to produce the maximum spreading and agitation 'of the gangue in receiver B; but by opeuingsaid valve part of suchwater flows intoreceiver B through the opening h, and th'is'reduces the velocity of the upward flow through the perforations in bottom 5 for varying the degree of the spreading and agitation of the gangue produced by said flow in the receiver B, and in turn the extent of the discharge of the pump F. If the gangue containsfioat 0r flowered gold or metal, the discharge from the washer or washers as above described is conveyed to further Washing. and concentrating apparatus and, further if desired to any amalgamating appliances,forms of which I have shown and claimed intwo other pending applications of an even date herewith,

Serial Nos. 375,313and 375,314, respectively.

concentration, less water is pumped; and less power is required to ,work the pumps, which power is stilLfurther diminished by the up- .ward flow of water in receiver B floating and elevating the tailings to within the influence of the suction of the pump and assisting it to discharge them from receiver B.

From. the foregoing it will be noted that all bowlders or large or bulky waste material is" reinovedfrom the, ore or gangue before it ontors the concentrator, vand in its passage through 'the latter the metal particles are separated from the gangue, so that as it passes Hence a less volume of water through each successive washer and concenmum with the float or flowered metal in such concentrated condition that the best available results bothias to rapidity of flow through the amalgamator for thoroughness of amalgamation are obtained; This maximum con centration of the lioat or flowered metal is particularly available when the successive pump discharge-pipes fhave the branches f leading back to the washer and conoen-.

trator from which the pump/discharges a?! each successive pump discharges less water or tailings. 'ljhns for instance, if the first pump discharges sixteen hundred gallons a minute, the second may only discharge four hundred, and the third one hundred, which if conveyed to the am-algamatin g devices shows a concentration of sixteen to one for the latter devices. This large degree of concentration combined with the thoroughness-and rapidity of action and economy of water used rendersthe appliances especially available for profitably working the low grade ores, placer mining'generally, and for greatly diminishing the cost of working high grade ores with the minimum percentage of waste or loss.

From the foregoing it will be still further noted that mined or natural gangue' is supplied toa grating a,thatthe same as itenters the receiver '13 is agitated by an inward and upward flow current, force or motion of wa; ter, the velocity of which may be varied as desired to conform to the conditions of the Ore under treatment; that such agitated gangue together with any contained solid 'or bulk matter is forcibly discharged from the receiver B by pumps F and that the opera- -tion is continuous and rapid. Hence saidwashing and concentrator appliances are es.- pecially available for use in places where the supply of water is restricted andalso for 'washingand concentrating dredged or raised river bottom material containing ore,;and placers, whether or not the same be a poorer a'rich grade.

From the foregoing it will be still further noted that the ore or gangue fed to the receiver B is in a more or less diffused or distributed condition and in that state'is agitated by the water in the receiver, and, as the waste matters of the ore or gangue are lighter than the metal they more quickly feel the infiuence of the suction forcein pipe F and being induced thereto are further dilfus'ed to admit of the metal separating from them before they acquire their full discharging velocity.

As the construction and arrangement of the receiver B, the device for producing the upward flow or current of water throughthe receiver, and the suction pipe communicating therewith may be greatly changed without departing from the spirit of my invention, I

2. In an ore washer or concentrator, the

combination of a receiving vessel having a water supply, a feed device and a suction d scharge, substantially as set forth,

In an ore washeror concentrator, the methodof washing and concentrating the ore .or gangue which consists insubjecting a descending feed or supply of gangue to a simultaneous upward flow or force of water and a suction discharge, substantially as set forth.

4. In an ore washer or concentraton the 1.

method of washing and concentrating the ore or gangue, which consists in first subjecting a descending feed or supply of gangue to an upward flow or force of water to spread and agitate the ore or gangue to effect a separa tion of the metal from the waste matters, andthen discharging the latter by suction. sub stantially as set forth.

5. An ore washer or'concentratonthe com- 'bination of a screen, a feed device below said screen leading ,into the washer, a water supsuction discharge device, substantially as set forth.

6. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a feed device, a suction disply for spreading and agitating said feed,and

charge device, and abranch pipe leading fro n1" said discharge device back to the washer or concentrator, substantially as set forth.

'7. A method of washing and concentrating ore which consists in first screening the ore or gangue of any bulky waste material, then subjecting it to a spreading and agltatmg action in water, then discharging the railings, and then returning part of the tailings-water to the water wherein the gangue is subjected to the spreading and agitating action, substantially as set forth.

8. A method of washing and concentrating ore which consists in successively passing the gangue through difierent bodies of water, correspondingly discharging less and less quantities of tailings from each said successive bodies of water, and returning part of the discharged tailings-water to the bodies of waten from which it was discharged, substantially tween said grating and the receiver, and sucriotion-pump having a pipe depending into said rceiyer, substantially as set forth.

101 :In an ore concentrator and washer, the a combination of a receiving-chamber having a perforated bottom or partition, a pipe connected wit said receiver and supplying water to thee ifc between said receiver and partition, which water passes upward through the latter and a pump having a suction pipe projecting into said chamber to=a point immediately above the perforated-bottourj 11. In an ore concentrator and washer the combination'of a receiving chamber-having an outletpipe and a perforated partition above the outlet pipe, a pipe connected with said receiver and supplying water to the space between said receiver and partitiomwhich water passes upward througlr the latter and a pump having a suction-pipe projecting into Said chamber immediately above the perforated bottom. V

' 12. In an ore washing or concentrating apparatus, titercombination of a receiver having valved outlet-pipe, a supply pipe for said receiver, a suction-pipe in communication with 3 d receiver, and means for varying the ve- Jocity of said upward flow orcurrent and the amount of volume of discharge ,from said pump, substantially as set forth.

13. In an ore washingor concentrating apparatus, the combination of a grating box A, the receiver B, having an upward flow or current, a supply-pipe for the latter, and a suction pump F, communicating with saidreceiver, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In an ore washing or concentrating apparatus, the combination of a grating box A,

the rotating receiver B, having an upwardflow, or current, a supply-pipe from said grating box to the receiver, an ont-let' pipe for the latter,'and a suction pump F, communicatin g with said receiver substantially as and forthe purpose sett'orth.

15. In anore washing or concentrating ap- *paratns, the combination of successive receivere, each having an upward flow or current of water and a suction-pump for dlsoharglng the gangue, and the pump for the successive receivers, arranged or'operated to have different discharging capacities, substantially as set forth. v 1

16. In an ore washing or concentrating apparatus, the system of subjecting the mined or natural gaugue, to, first, a separating device for removing the bowlders or analogousv bulky material from the gangue, then subjectin g. the latterto an upward flow or current of water, and then to a simultaneoussuction force to separate saidgangue to permit the ore to separate therefrom and the gangue to be discharged from the apparatus, substantially'as set forth.

CHARLES F, PIKE.

\Vituesses: I I

, S. J. VAN STAVOREN,

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