US2305966A - Apparatus for processing coal - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1942. I R ow: 2,305,966

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING COAL V Filed June 5, 1939 Patented Dec. 22, 1942 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING COAL Andrew F. Howe, University City, Mo., assignor to B H & M Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation .of Missouri Application June 5, 1939, Serial No. 277,428

7 4 Claims. (01. 233-21) This invention relates to apparatus for processing coal; and has special reference to an apparatus for reclaiming usable coal from sludge and from slurry that have heretofore usually been discarded as waste materials, with consequent loss to operators and dealers.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for processing waste coal sludge and slurry in a manner to assort and separate into one mass the materials, including the usable coal, to be subsequently processed to remove and separate the usable coal from the waste materials and finer particles that will remain suspended in water during the subsequent processing, and to provide means for satisfactorily effecting the final separation of the usable coal from the floating waste materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus including means-for effectively and satisfactorily controlling the amount of sludge and slurry passing from one part of the apparatus to another in order to prevent the centrifuge device, included in the apparatus and which effects the final step in the separation process, from becoming overloaded, and for delivering to said centrifuge device the proper amount of materials to obtain best and most satisfactory results.

Another object of the invention is to provide a solution of the problem of separating and processing to a usable condition coal that has heretofore been discarded as Waste material along with other waste materials such as slate, earth, stone, and other non-combustible elements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention, which has been satisfactorily used for the attainment of the desired effects and results herein suggested or otherwise known, will be .made apparent from the following description,

reference being made to the annexed drawing, which is a side elevation with some of the parts in section of one embodiment of the apparatus.

In the arrangement of the apparatus shown the coal sludge or slurry in a highly fluent state is discharged from a conduit I onto the upper end of an inclined vibratory screen 2 having a mesh of proper size for the purposes desired. The size of the screen required to attain best results in different instances may be determined empirically so that most of the water and usable coal will pass through the screen while the oversize solid fragments are discharged from the screen into an inclined chute 3 leading to a place of disposal. As stated, the screen 2 is vibrated used for such purposes.

on pivoted supports 4 which permit free vibratory movements thereof. on the frame 5.

A tank 6 adapted to receive the sludge and slurry containing the usable coal that pass through the screen 2 is supported by the frame 5 below said screen and is open at the top. The bottom of the tank 6 is formed with an outlet opening I controlled by a valve 8. The valve 8 is attached to a stem 9 mounted for vertical sliding movements in a guide I0 and having its lower end pivoted to an operating lever II operatively mounted on a support I2. A spring I3 may be connected with the guide I 0 and the lever II between the stem 9 and the support I2 in order to actuate the lever I I in a direction to move the valve 8 to closed position in the opening I.

A rotary shaft I4 extends transversely through the lower portion of the tank 6 above the bottom thereof and supports an eccentric I5 outside of the tank which is engaged by a ring formation I 5 on the upper end of a link I! having its lower end pivoted to the lever II. A clutch portion I8 on the eccentric I5 may be engaged and disengaged by a clutch I9 splined for sliding movements on the shaft I4 into and out of clutching engagement with the clutch portion I8 in order to rotate the eccentric I5 by the shaft I4 or leave the shaft I4 free to rotate without rotating said eccentric, as desired. A lever 20 engages the clutch member I9 and is operative to move said clutch into and out of engagement with the The supports 4 are mounted clutch portion I8. When the clutch member I9 is in engagement with the clutch portion IS, the eccentric I5 operates the link II and thereby the lever II to open and to close the valve 8 intermittently during rotation of the shaft I4; and, when the clutch is disengaged, the shaft I4 may continue to rotate without operating the valve 8, leaving said valve entirely closed or entirely open, or in an intermediate position. The shaft I4 may be rotated continuously when the apparatus is in use by driving connections 2|. The shaft I4 extends acros the inside of the tank 5 above the bottom thereof and above the valve 8, and has a number of agitator arms 22 attached thereto so that, when the apparatus is in use and the shaft I4 is rotating, the sludge or slurry within the tank 6 is constantly agitated to maintain the entire contents of the tank in a fluent state.

The contents of the tank 6 rises to the level when in use, and such movements may be im- 55 and a portion of the contents flows from the screen 2 and to separate them from the remaining sludge and slurry which passes from. thetank 6 through the opening E into a tank 26. p w

The stem 9 extends through one'wallof the tank 26 and the valve 8 operates "within the upper portion of said tank. The tank 26 constitutes a conduit device to receivethe sludge or slurry from the tank 6 and to discharge the same into the upper end of a centrifugal machine enclosed within a housing 21. One wall of the tank 26 may be formed with ,louverdevices' 28 through which the sludge or. slurry passing through the tank 26 may be observed to determine the character and quality thereof.-

The centrifugal machine enclosed. within. the housing 21 comprises a rotaryginner, cone 29 rotated at high speed by driving connections 38 the specific form of which constitutes no part of the invention claimed .herein. The conduit 3| opens from the bottom of the tank 26 and extends downwardly through the top of the centrifuge housing 27 and discharges the sludge or slurry onto the inner cone 29. A series of spiral flights 32' are attached to the outer side of the cone 29 and are operated therebywitln'n the conical space 33 provided between the screen 34 and the cone 29'and attached to the inner side of the. conical screen basket 35 having numerous outlet slots 33 therein. The slots, 3'15 extend circumferentially and are in staggered relationship so that a screen basket is formed which supports the additional screen 36. The screen basket 35 and the attached screen 33 are both rotated by the mechanism 30 in a manner {and by devices not specifically shown. The centrifugal force produced by the rapid rotation of the inner cone and the flights 32 attached thereto elfects a separation of the usable coal from the refuse and most of the water because the refuse and most of the water are discharged through the screen 34 and screen basket 35 into a space 37 formed between said screen basket 35 and the centrifuge housing 27. The .usable coal is discharged downwardly from the space i 33 onto a conical apron .38 and thence into. a chute 39. The apron 38 is rotated by the mechanism 30 and includes a number of flights 48 which sweep the coal into the chute 39 from which the coal 4| is discharged onto an appro priate conveyor 32.

By this apparatus operated in this manner, the larger fragments of coal and waste material are first separated by the screen 2 from the usable coal that may pass through said screen. The sludge or slurry discharged through the screen 2 into the tank 6 may be constantly agitated by the agitator devices l4 and the suspended lighter particles caused to flow out through the conduit 24 while the usable coal having a maximu'insize passes through the opening 1 into the conduit tank 26 and thence through the conduit 3i into the centrifugal machine. All of the operating mechanisms may be operated from a single-source of power or not, as desired. When once placed in operation, the apparatus will continue to op erate indefinitely and to discharge coal 4| satisfactorily processed and separated from refuse that had previously been considered and discarded as waste.

The water and suspended materials passing to the clarifier 25 are separated so that the larger particles of suspended materials aredischarged through an outlet 43 and the water through a conduit 44 leading to a reclaimer tank (not shown) whereby the water may be reclaimed for repeated use.

By use of this apparatus, the force of gravityaffecting the finer mesh impurities that pass through the vibratory screen 2 is increased or stepped up several hundreds of times. These finer mesh impurities are thrown through the perforated'scr'een'34 and are discharged as waste with the eiiluent through the outlet pipe 66 leading to the clarifier mechanism 25. A supply of fresh water may be admitted into the tank 6 through a valve. controlled pipe 61, thereby replacing the efliuentthat passes out through the outlet pipe 24. 1 The pipe 61 opens preferably into, the bottom. of the tank 6 so that the inflowing water, cooperates with the agitator M to maintain the sludge and slurry in proper condition for further processing, and to prevent settling of the heavy particles in the bottom of said tank 6. 1 p 1 This apparatus has been used with a very big degree of satisfaction and has resulted in large savings-of usable coal heretofore discarded and abandoned as waste. The apparatus may be operated at relatively low cost to increaselargely the desirable mine output. It should be apparent that the form and arrangement of the apparatus may be variedwidely within the scope of equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle thereof.

Iclaim: i

1 An apparatus for processing coal in a fluent sludge state comprising a centrifugal machine supported for rotation about a vertical axis, means for rotating said mechanism to separate the fluid andfloatable solid impurities from the coal and discharging the coal substantially free from said fluid and impurities, means forming a conduit for conveying the fluent sludge to said machine, a valve, for regulating intermittent passage of the fluent sludge through said conduit towardrsaid machine, an agitator for agitating the fluent sludge at the influent side of said valve, and mechanism for operating said agitator continuously and alsofo-r operating said valve intermittently to. .cause intermittent passage of fluent sludge through said conduit during operation of said agitator.

,2. An apparatus for processing and recovering usable coal from fluent sludge or slurry containing floatable solid. impurities, comprising a centrifugal machine supported for rotation about a vertical axis for receiving and separatingthe fluid and floatable impurities from the usable coal-and discharging the coal substantially free from said fluid and impurities, connections for rotatingsaid machine, means forming'a conduit for conveying the sludgeor slurry to said machine, a valve for regulating the passage of sludge or slurry through said conduit toward said machine, an agitator at the influent side of said valve for agitating the fluent sludge or slurry and preventing settling of the floatable impurities, mechanism for continuously operating said agitator andalso opening and closing said valve inmachine supported for rotation about a vertical axis for separating the fluid and fioatable impurities from the usable coal, walls forming a tank for receiving the fluent sludge or slurry containing the usable coal and the impurities to be separated therefrom, mechanism for delivering into said tank the sludge or slurry containing a mixture of bodies of usable coal of predetermined maximum size and impurities to be separated from the coal, means forming a conduit for conveying from said tank to said machine the sludge or slurry containing said impurities to be separated from the coal by said machine, a valve for regulating the passage of sludge or slurry from said tank through said conduit toward said machine, mechanism for agitating the sludge or slurry in said tank and simultaneously opening and closing said valve intermittently, and a device for optionally controlling operation of said valve by said last named mechanism or leaving said last named mechanism free to operate While said valve re mains unoperated, as desired.

4. An apparatus for processing and recovering usable coal from fluent sludge or slurry and fioatable impurities, comprising a centrifugal machine supported for rotation about a vertical axis, connections for operating said machine, means forming a conduit conveying the fluent sludge to said machine, a valve regulating the passage of sludge or slurry through said conduit toward said machine, an agitator at the infiuent side of said valve for agitating the sludge or slurry, a pipe for discharging a stream of water into the sludge or slurry at the influent side of said valve, mechanism for continuously operating said agitator and intermittently opening said valve, and means controlling operation of said valve by said last named mechanism.

ANDREW F. HOWE.

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