US1124855A - Ore-separatory apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. M. GALLOW & D. J. KELLY.

ORE SEPARATORY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13,1914.

i,i24,855, Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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J. M. CALLOW & D. J. KELLY.

ORB SEPARATORY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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JOHN M. GAILOW AND DAVID J. KELLY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNORS TO RECOVERY COMPANY, ,OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ORE-SEPARATORY APPARATUS.

/ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 12, 1915.

Application filed June 13,4914. Serial N 0. 844,906.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN M. (know, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and DAVID J. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, both residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful" Improvements in Ore- Separatory Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to, a flotation apparatus designed for the concentration of metallic ores by separating the metallic particles from the barren or rocky constituents thereof and the invention consists of the parts and the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which we will hereinafter fully describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, Figure? l is a vertical sectional view with parts in elevation of a flotation or separatory apparatus embodying the salient features of our invention. Fig. :2 is a sectional view of a portion of the tank showing a tailings discharge of modified form, with a valve mechanism for controlling the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line X-X of Fig. i. Fig, l is a similar view showing arms of modified cross section. Fig. 5 is a still further modified form of porous arm. Fig. 6 is a crcss sectional view of one of the arms showing a modified form of porous material. Fig. '5 shows a portion of an arm provided with rakes or teeth. Fig. 8 is a modified form cf tank showing sets of radial arms operable therein. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a tank of modified construction to which our present improvements are applied. Fig. 10 illustrates another form of porous radial arm formed according to our present invention.

The apparatus shown in the present case is specifically related to the art commonly known as buoyant or flotation processes and which is distinct from the usual gravity concentration processes in which the particles are separated by their differences in weight or specific gravity, in that in the fio tation process a certain percentage of oil, or of two dissimilar oils, or an oil and an acid, or an oil and an alkali, or some substance having the property of producing a suitable froth with the ore is mixed with finely ground ore pulp and water and the mlxture is then subjected to a violent agitatron with the result that large volumes of a1r are beaten into, impregnated with, or entrained by the pulp for the purpose of producing a froth, or sud, having the appearance of an aggregation or mass of fine soap bubbles which when collected and the froth discharged or broken down, by natural settlement, by suction or vacuum, or by the addition of cold water, or other means, displaces the mineral particles that have been caught and carried by the bubbles.

In Fig. l, of the accompanying drawings, the tan A, may be of any suitableconstruction, capacity and design. It is shown as of circular form. but this is unimportant;

at its upper portion it is provided, or connects with, a suitable launder, 10, into which the froth or foam formed in the tank, as we will hereinafter describe, is delivered, in the manner well known in this art. The froth may, however, be removed bv other means without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In Fig. 1 we show one form of feed device where the feed spout leads into a feed distributer, 11, of any appropriate character mounted on a hollow vertical shaft, 12, and having discharge spouts, 13, leading into the interior of the tank.

The vertical shaft, 12, of Fig. l is con nected to an appropriate driving mechanism, 14, and through a stufiing box on said shaft, extends a pipe, 15, adapted to be supplied with air. as or vapor, under pres sure. At the bottom. the hollow vertical shaft is provided with a hub or coupling member, 16, to which are attached the innor ends of the radiating arms, 17, of which there may be any desired number and which arms may have any desired form in cross section. The arms may be round as in Fig. 3, or square as at 17 in Fig. 4, in cross section, or they may be of segmental form as at 17 in plan, Fig. 10, but in any event they have hollow interiors which connect with the interior of the hollow vertical shaft, 12,

- and thus receive the pressure of the gaseous medium which is admitted to the shaft through the supply pipe, 15, before men tioned. The arms may be formed of any appropriate material and are provided with suitable perforations; whatever the character of the material used for the arms, the

exterior surface-or surfacesof said arms-will be formed or covered with some material such as porous tile, (Flg. 5, canvas, or layers of fibrous or other material,-

(Fig. 6), of any suitable character suflie cientlyporous to permit the passage therethrough of the gaseous material admitted under pressure into the interior of the arms, but which will prevent the liquid or pulp from. passingthrough said material to the.

interior of the arms, said gaseous fluid being delivered throu h the pores of said material in the orm of innumerable line streams distributed substantially throughout the bottom of the pulp or solution in the tank and serving to agitate a'nd aerate the contents of said tank.

. To assist the distribution of the gaseous arms rotating substantially'close to the bottom of the tank so as to keep in motion the heavier particles which are liable to settle upon the bottom; or the bottom may be inclined and a positive means employed for keeping in motion the settling sands or coarser constituents of the pulp, as We will presently describe' Inv either event, we prefer that the central portion of the tank may have a depression or chamber, A, into which the heavier particles are caused to gravitate or to be directed, said chamber terminating in a tailings discharge, 18, con- *to a pivoted lever, 25, which in turn is controlled by a suitable valve, '19, which, through an appropriate lever mechanism, 20, is actuated automatically by a float, 21, submerged in the contents of the tank, said float. thereby serving as a means for maintaining the level of the liquid in the tank and the uniformity of the discharge of the froth or sud which accumulates on the top of the liquid, even though there should be a variable feedof pulp into the distributing ho per. v

n equivalent manner of discharging the tailings is disclosed in vFig. -2 wherein the tank, B,'has adischarge 22, in the side near the bottom and this. discharge is controlled by a valve, 23, whose stem, 24, is connected nected to the float, 26. As the level of the liquid rises, the float is actuated to unseat or open th e valve and thus permit aportion of the tailings to be discharged; by this orous tank 0 means we preserve the level of the fluid the overflow of the froth or sud. I

' The mechanism employed for rotating the porous arms, 17, 17' or 17 may be of any desired character .and the speed given the .arms may be such'as to keep the sands or coarser particles from accumulating on the bottom of the tank and also to maintain the pulp particles uniformly suspended throughout the pulp.

If it is desired the arms may be provided with rakes, teeth, or stirrers, 26', Fig. 7, of any suitable character adapted to operate over the bottom and positively stir up and agitate the sands and heavier particles wllllilgh tend to settle on the.bottom of the ta The tank of Fig. 1 may represent an individual unit inwhich one series of arms .of any desired number may be used.' To

this end, it may represent a tank of circular form; but if desired, the tank may be of rectangular or other shape and two or more sets 0 arms, 17, Fig. 8, and their acces- -contents of the tank and the uniformity of sories may be used in the single tank without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Fig. 9, we show the application of'the present improvements to another type of apparatus. In this case, the. tank B has an inclined bottom, 30, and over this bottom operate suitable rakes, 31, or other means for stirring the sands which tend to settle on the bottom and direct themto the centrally placed tailings dischar e, 18". The

Fig. 9 has double wal s forming an annular space, 32, into which the pulp to be treated is first admitted, the inner wall, 33,

being shorter than the outer wall and ter minating above the bottom of the tank so as to form a space through which the pulp may flow into the chamber of the tank from below, the material being admitted into the space between the wall through suitable feed pipes, 34, vrevolubly or otherwise mounted, leading from a supply hopper,a34=, into the aforesaid space, and the tailings dischar e being under the automatic control of a suitable float, 35, and lever mechanismin much .the same manner as before described for Fig. 1.

In the type of apparatus shown in .Fig. 9, the foam or sud is removed by means of a vacuum induced through suitable nozzles, 36, attached to radial arms, 37, which in turn contact with a hollow pipe, 38, which may serve. as the shaft for carrying the arms, rakes and other movable parts,'being also provided, in the instance shown, with a cone, 39, adapted to direct the foam into the range of action or beneath the aforesaid nozzles, saidcone being provided with wings or vanes, 40, which are designed to operate in the body of the pulp to induce a rotation or circular movement thereof during the period that the gaseous fluid is being discharged through the porous arms, 41, into the pulp from below.

The hollow pipe or shaft, 38, is connected to a pipe, 42, the opposite end of which leads into a closed tank, 43, in which a vacuum is created through the medium of a famAal, or other means. The tank B of Fig. 9 contains the radial arms, l1, which are formed of or provided with a porous material adapted to permit the passage of gaseous fluid, but not liquid or pulp, in the manner described more in detail in connection with the equivalent arms of Fig. 1, it being understood that the vertical hollow shaft, 38, of Fig. 9 receives a pipe, l5, through which a gaseous fluid is supplied to the radial arms, 41, and that relative motion between the tank and the arms and between the vacuum nozzles and the tank may be provided in any well known manner, and one instance of which is shown inthe use of the driving mechanism, 46, of Fig. '9.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, of a hollow rotary member operable in the tank and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, said member being sufliciently porous to permit the passage of the gaseous fluid therethrough but not the water and 2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, of substantially horizontal radial arms operable in the tank and made hollow and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, said arms being s'ufliciently porous to perrnit the passage of the gaseous fluid therethrough but not the water and pulp.

' apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adaptad to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, of subrtantially horizontal radial arms operable n the tank and made hollow and adapted receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, aid arms being sufiicien ly porous to pernit the assage of the gaseous fluid therehrough ut not the water and pulp, and a serving as a carrier for the arms and a onductor for the gaseous fluid thereto.

4. In apparatus of the character de-.

:ribed, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, of substantially horizontal radial arms of tubular form and provided with perforations, said arms operable in the tank and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure and having an outer covering made sufficiently porous to permit the passage of the gaseous fluid but not the water and pulp. 5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, means including a hollow arm substantially horizontally disposed and operable in the tank and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, said arm having an outer surface sufliciently porous to permit the passage of the gaseous fluid but not the water and pulp, and means operable below the arm to prevent the coarser particles of material settling upon the bottom of the tank.

apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, means including a hollow arm substantiall horizontally disposed, and operable in the tank and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, said arm having an outer surface sufliciently porous to permit the passage of the gaseous fluid but not the water and pulp,

and stirrers operable with the arms over the bottom of the tank adapted to maintain the coarser particles of ore in motion to there by prevent the same settling on the bottom of the tank.

7 In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tank adapted to contain a mixture of powdered ores and water and a frothable agent, of a hollow member mounted in the tank and adapted to receive a gaseous fluid under pressure, and means for rotating the tank and meniber one relatively. to the other, said memher being sufliciently porous to permit the JOHN M. CALLOW. Witnesses:

H. F. J. KNOBLOCH, DAVID E. THOMAS.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID J. KELLY. Witnesses:

G. F. SUMMnRs, R. M. LOWE.

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