US3706377A

US3706377A - Pump operated removal device for cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3706377A
Application number: US111369A
Authority: US
Inventors: Steve R Blanich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-01
Filing date: 1971-02-01
Publication date: 1972-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-19
Also published as: CA954823A

Abstract

A gravel or ore cleaning apparatus comprises a tank which contains water maintained at a predetermined level. A pan is positioned within the tank below the water level and receives material to be cleaned therein. The pan is oscillated by an oscillating mechanism to cause the material to be moved to the egress end of the pan and to cause the material to be stratified in a lower layer of sound heavy material and an upper layer of unsound lightweight material. A conveyor removes the sound heavy material from the tank as it is discharged from the egress end of the pan. A pair of removal conduits have their intake ends positioned over the material in the pan so that the water entrained unsound lightweight material is removed by suction through the removal conduits. Suction is created by a pump which pumps water from the tank through the removal conduit to create negative pressure and suction in the removal conduit, in addition to a ''''true'''' siphon assist.

Description

United States Patent Blanich I 1451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] PUMP OPERATED REMOVAL DEVICE FOR CLEANING APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Steve R. Blanich, lOOl Birch Street.

PO. Box 96, Crosby, Minn. 56441 122 Filed: Feb. 1,1971

21 Appl.No.:Ill,369

[52] U.S. Cl ..209/446, 209/492 [51] Int. Cl. .B03b 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch.l....209/446, 450, 441,49 ,4 7

Primary ExaminerF rank W. Lutter Assistant Examiner-Ralph J. Hill I Attorney-Williamson, Palmatier & Bains [57] ABSTRACT level. A pan is positioned within the tank below the waterlevel and receives material to be cleaned therein. The pan is oscillated by an oscillating mechanism'to cause the material to be moved to the egress end of the pan and to cause the material to be stratified in a lower layer of sound heavy material and an upper layer of unsound lightweight material. A conveyor removes the sound heavy material from the tank as it is discharged from the egress end of the pan. A pair of removal conduits have their intake ends positioned over the material in the pan so that the water entrained unsound lightweight material is removed by suction through the removal conduits. Suction is created by a pump which pumps water from the tank through the removal conduit to create negative pressure and suction in the removal conduit, in addition to a true siphon assist.

5 Claims, 1, Drawing Figure PAIENTEnnEc 19 I972 3. 706, 37 7 INVENTOR. Steve R. Blanz'ch ATTOEAJEHS' PUMP OPERATED REMOVAL DEVICE FOR CLEANING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In certain commercial gravel or ore cleaners, the unsound lightweight water entrained material is removed from the cleaning tank by forced outflow tubes, overprovide a gravel orore cleaning apparatus with a pump operated removal system for removing the water entrained lightweight material from the cleaning tank. To this end, water is pumped from the cleaning tank and this water is pumped through the removal conduit toward the discharge ..end thereof. This produces a negative pressure and venturi effect in the removal conduit so that the lightweight water entrained unsound material is removed by suction from the cleaning tank through the intake ends of the removal conduit. In the present removal device, water which is relatively clean. is circulated through the pump and this reduces the wear to the pump and therefore reduces maintenance cost. These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or'similar parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING The drawing-is a diagrammatic perspective view of a gravel cleaning apparatus incorporating the novel removal device and with certain parts thereof broken away for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing,- it will be seen that one embodiment of a gravel or ore cleaning apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, is there shown. This apparatus includes a generally rectangular shaped open top cleaning tank 11 which may be constructed of a suitable metallic material. An inlet conduit 12 is provided for supplying water to the cleaning tank. The discharge end of the inlet conduit 12 is provided with a valve 13 which is controlled by a suitable float 14 so that the water level within the tank 11 is maintained in a pre-selected level.

An elongate pan or trap 15 is positioned within the cleaning tank 11 and is disposed below the surface of the water. It will be noted that the pan 15 is of generally rectangular configuration and includes longitudinal side walls 16, end wall 17, and a bottom wall 18. The pan is oscillated during use and the material to be cleaned is moved from an ingress end 19 of the pan towards the opposite or egress end 20 thereof. A discharge chute 21 is provided at the egress end of the pan through which the heavy sound material is discharged.

Material is supplied to the pan 15 by a material supply pipe or conduit 22 which has its discharge opening positioned above and closely adjacent the ingress end 19 of the pan 15. The material to be cleaned'may be gravel, sand, ore or the like, and this material will be discharged in a slurry form in a well-known manner.

Means are provided for oscillating the pan 15 and this means includes an electric motor 23 which is connected by suitable electrical conductors 24 to a source of electrical current. The output shaft 25 of the electric motor 23 is connected by a crank arm 26 to a link 27. The link 27 is connected to an arm 28 which in turn is connected to the pan 15. When the electric motor 23 is energized, the pan will be longitudinally oscillated and this action causes the material to be cleaned to be moved from the ingress end of the pan towards and egress end thereof. Thisoscillating motion also causes the material to be cleaned to'be stratified into a lower stratum of sound heavyweight material and an upper materialwill be discharged through the chute 21 and will fall by action of gravity upon a conveyor 29 which will convey the heavyweight material exteriorly of the cleaning tank 11.

In this regard, it will be noted that the conveyor 29 is comprised of an endless conveyor belt or apron 30 which is trained about rollers 31. The uppermost roller 31 will be driven and it will be noted that the conveyor belt in the embodiment shown is disposed in an inclined position. The endless conveyor belt is provided with a plurality of conveyor lift elements 32 sothat the particulate sound material will be lifted and conveyed from the tank 11. It is pointed out that other suitable removal'or conveyor systems may also be used.

Means are also provided for removing the unsound lightweight material'from the cleaning tank and this means includes a removal mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral 33. This removal mechanism 33 includes a pair of elongate removal conduits 34 which are spaced apart from each other and each having an intake end 35 which extends downwardly into the cleaning tank 11 adjacent the pan 15. These removal conduits 34 extend exteriorly of the cleaning tank and discharge the water entrained lightweight unsound material at remote points below 1 the level of water in the cleaning tank.

The removal mechanism 33 also includes a pump 36 which is driven by a suitable electric motor 37, the pump motor being a variable speed type to permit the pump to be operated at different speeds. An elongate inlet conduit 38 has one end thereof connected in communicating relation with the pump 36 and has its inlet end 39 positioned in the cleaning tank 11 and below the pan 15. With this arrangement relativelyclean water is pumped from the tank 11 through the inlet conduit and through the pump 36.

An outlet conduit 40 has one end connected in communicating relation with the pump 36 and has its other end connected by a suitable T-coupling to a pair of similar connecting conduits 41. These connecting conduits each has its other end connected to one of the removal conduits 34 adjacent the intake end portion'of the removal conduit. A pair vof'similar valves 42'are provided, each being interposedin controlling relation with respect to one of the connecting conduits 41.

In use, material will be supplied to the cleaning tank 11 through the material supply conduit 22. This material will be discharged into the oscillating pan l and this oscillating motion will cause the material to be cleaned to be stratified into a lower bed or stratum of sound heavyweight material and an upper water entrained bed or stratum of unsound lightweight material. The oscillating movement will also cause the beds or strata to be moved from the ingress end of the pan towards the egress end thereof.

The variable speed pump will be operated and water will be pumped from the tank through the inlet conduit and thereafter outwardly through the outlet conduit 40. Water will also be pumped as high velocity jets through the connecting conduits and will be discharged into the removal conduits to blow towards the outlet ends of these discharge conduits. When this occurs, the high velocity jets of water being discharged from the smaller connecting conduits 41 and into the removal conduits 34 will produce a venturi effect and a negative pressure within the removal conduits. Thus the water entrained lightweight particles will be made by suction through the intake ends of the removal conduits and will be discharged exteriorly of the tank and below the water level inside the tank. With this present arrangement, only relatively clean water is circulated through the variable speed pump which minimizes wear to the pump as'distinguished'from circulating the water entrained lightweight material to the pump which results in considerablewear.

It will be noted that one of the removal conduits is positioned adjacent the intermediate or central portion of the pan 15 while the other removal conduit has its in-' take end positioned adjacent the egress end of the pan. The removal conduit positioned adjacent the central portion of .the pan serves as a precleaning device to remove a certain amount of the unsound lightweight material from the tank while the other removal conduit serves as a final cleaning and removal means for removing the lightweight unsound material from the tank. By adjusting the valves 42, either of the removal conduits may be selectively rendered inoperative as desired.

It is pointed out that the removal mechanism 33 may be used in conjunction with other kinds of cleaners rather than the oscillating pan cleaner shown here. However, the removal mechanism is especially adapted for use with the oscillating pan'type cleaner.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that l have provided a novel removal mechanism which very effectively serves to remove by suction the lightweight unsound material in a gravel or ore cleaning operation. By circulating high velocity jets of water through the removal conduits towards the outlet ends thereof, a

venturi effect and suction is created which very effectively removes the unsound water entrained material from the tank. The high velocity jets not only create the negative pressure but also assist in the removal of the materials through the removal conduit.

With this arrangement, the structural design of the cleaning apparatus may be varied and modified as opposed to the limitations imposed by forced outflow tubes.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel and improved removal mechanism for a gravel, sand, or, ore cleaning apparatus, which is not only of simple and inexpensiveconstruction, but one which functions in a more efficient manner ;than any heretofore known comparable device.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning particulate material such as gravel, ores and the like, said apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a predetermined amount of water therein, .means for maintaining a predetermined water level in said tank,

a generally horizontally oriented pan having a bottom located below said predetermined water level having anjingress end and having an egress end,

means for oscillating said pan,

material supply means connected to a source of the material to be cleaned and having an outlet end positioned closely adjacent the ingress end 'of said pan to supply particulate material to be cleaned thereto whereby the material to be cleaned will be stratified in the pan into a lower stratum of sound heavy material and an upper water entrained stratum of lightweight unsound material 'as' the material is moved from the ingress end to the egress end of the pan,

means extending into said tank for removing the heavier sound material exteriorly of said tank,

means for removing lightweight suspended material from said tank including an elongate removal conduit having an inlet end extending into said tank below the water level thereof and positioned above said pan and having an outlet end located exteriorly of said tank, with discharge end below .water level of tank, said means for removing lightweight suspended material further comprising a pump, and

an inlet conduit having one end thereof connected in communicating relation with said pump and having the other end thereof extending into saidtank, and i an outlet conduit means interconnected in communicating relation with said pump and with said removal conduit, and directed toward said outlet end of said means for removing lightweight material, whereby water under pressure is pumped from said outlet conduit through said removal conduit to create a negative pressure in said removal conduit and thereby cause water entrained lightweight material to be pumped exteriorlyof the tank through the removal conduit.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 and a second removal conduit having an inlet end spaced above the material to be cleaned in said pan and spaced from said first mentioned removal conduit, said second removal conduit being interconnected in communicating relation with said outlet conduit means so that water under pressure is also pumped through said second removal conduit to create a negative pressure in said second mentioned removal conduit and thereby cause water entrained lightweight material to be pumped exteriorly of the tank through the second mentioned removal conduit.

below said pan.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for removing heavyweight material from the tank comprises an endless conveyor having a plurality of lifting elements thereon for lifting the heavyweight material discharged from the egress end of said pan.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cleaning particulate material such as gravel, ores and the like, said apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a predetermined amount of water therein, means for maintaining a predetermined water level in said tank, a generally horizontally oriented pan having a bottom located below said predetermined water level having an ingress end and having an egress end, means for oscillating said pan, material supply means connected to a source of the material to be cleaned and having an outlet end positioned closely adjacent the ingress end of said pan to supply particulate material to be cleaned thereto whereby the material to be cleaned will be stratified in the pan into a lower stratum of sound heavy material and an upper water entrained stratum of lightweight unsound material as the material is moved from the ingress end to the egress end of the pan, means extending into said tank for removing the heavier sound material exteriorly of said tank, means for removing lightweight suspended material from said tank including an elongate removal conduit having an inlet end extending into said tank below the water level thereof and positioned above said pan and having an outlet end located exteriorly of said tank, with discharge end below water level of tank, said means for removing lightweight suspended material further comprising a pump, and an inlet conduit having one end thereof connected in communicating relation with said pump and having the other end thereof extending into said tank, and an outlet conduit means interconnected in communicating relation with said pump and with said removal conduit, and directed toward said outlet end of said means for removing lightweight material, whereby water under pressure is pumped from said outlet conduit through said removal conduit to create a negative pressure in said removal conduit and thereby cause water entrained lightweight material to be pumped exteriorly of the tank through the removal conduit.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said first mentioned removal conduit is positioned adjacent the central portion of said pan and said second mentioned removal conduit is positioned adjacent the egress end of said pan.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said one end of said inlet conduit is positioned in said tank below said pan.