US2820553A - Ore reclaimer and method therefor - Google Patents

Description

Jim. 21, 1958 J. H; v. FINNEY EIAL 2,820,553

' ORE RECLAIMER AND METHOD THEREFOR Filed April 8. 1953 a Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTORS JOHN H. V. FINNEEY FRED B. MAYCHARK ATTY.

Jan, 21, 1958 J. H. v. FINNEY ET AL 2,820,553

ORE RECLAIMER AND METHOD THEREFOR Filed April 8, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN H. m FiNNEY H6. 3 FRED a. MAYCHARK ATTY Jan. 21, 1958 Filed April 8, 1953 IN V EN TORS JOHN H. v. FINNEY FRED a MAYCHARK .4 2%

ATTY.

United States Patent ORE RECLAIMER AND METHOD THEREFOR John H. V. Finney and Fred B. Maychark, Denver, Colo.,

assignors to Bunker Hill and Sullivan, Mining and Concentrating Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application April 8, 1953, Serial, No. 347,484

1 Claim. (Cl. 214-) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ore reclaimer apparatus for bedding plants and methods therefor, and more particularly to the handling of ore and similar materials to be blended or mixed for smelter or other operations from ores of different chemical analysis combined with the proper flux to be employed depending upon the assays of the ore. For a more eflicient and continuous operation, this invention proposes the use of one or more separate beds or piles of ore and flux, each in an amount sufficient for one or more days operation and preferably made up from ores in bins according to chemical content and analysis whereby the proportionate amounts of each ore and fiux, for any given treatment can be piled in a bed, while another bed is being removed and one or more beds are standing by for removal and/or analysis. These separate beds are so arranged relatively, that by the time they have been analyzed and the final flux proportioning is completed, an overhead mechanism can successively remove the beds by moving in a continuous path and without shifting the mechanism back and forth.

An important object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby a series of beds or piles of material are arranged at opposite sides of a material receiving slot of a subterranean tunnel and are successively removed by a harrowing action which proceeds continuously in one direction circuitously to harrow and drag said beds one at a time through said slot.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an overhead trolley mechanism of the above character which includes a harrow which successively operates upon the sloping end of each bed, and a drag conveyor which moves to drag material from the toe or foot of said sloping end of the bed and to discharge the material into the receiving slot.

Another object of the invention is to provide certain of said overhead trolleys with a motor drive for the purpose of slowly moving the mechanism against the receding end of the bed, and to provide the mechanism with means to feel the receding face of the bed and to follow it to maintain a continuous removal of the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide an overhead trolley circuit whereby the mechanism may reclaim a bed on one side of the tunnel slot when traveling in one direction, and after making a turn, can reclaim a bed of material on the opposite side of said slot when traveling in the opposite direction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an oscillating harrow for the above mechanism, which can be readily adjusted to any particular slope of a bed or pile, operating in conjunction with means which causes the mechanism to follow the face of the diminishing pile for its progressive removal.

- Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the-following description.

-...In;.the;accompanying drawingsforming a part of the description and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. l is a side elevation of the invention showing it arranged in operative position with respect to a tunnel slot and supported by overhead tracks,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing it operating upon a bed or pile of material,

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the trolley control,

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing four beds of material arranged relative to a subterranean tunnel and its receiving slot with the overhead tracks for the support of the trolley mechanism, and with the removal mechanism shown operating upon one of the beds of material,

Fig. 5 is a top elevation of the main beams or structural members supporting the frame Work from the trolleys, and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the outer end of the supporting arm of the harrow mechanism.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention and wherein, for the purpose of illustration and not for limitation, is shown an embodiment which is at present preferred, attention is first invited to Fig. 4. Here, a somewhat schematic view of the method and apparatus is shown, wherein the numeral 10 designates a rectangular ground or floor area of concrete if desired, surrounded with four vertical walls 11 of approximately six or seven foot heighth to confine the material being handled. A subterranean tunnel 12 extends centrally and lengthwise under this ground area 10 from one end thereof out through the other end to a suitable depository, such as a smelter furnace, and endless conveyors 13 are installed in this tunnel to automatically convey material lengthwise thereof to the desired place. The top of this tunnel under the floor area 10 is always open and provides an elongated slot 14 coextensive with the length of this floor or ground area to receive material moved across the area toward the slot.

Upon the ground area 10 along opposite sides of this slot 14, are deposited several separate beds or piles of ore, four of which are illustrated in the present illustration, P, P at one side of the slot and P2 and P3 along the opposite side thereof. These beds or mounds may be of any shape, but are here shown as having rectangular bases with the longer sides thereof arranged parallel with the slot 14. The bed P is shown in the process of being removed, while beds P1 and P2 are on a stand-by basis awaiting assay reports for determination of the proper flux composition when such beds are fed to the smelter. Bed P3 is being formed or laid-in on the floor area 10 by an overhead conveyor system from storage bins of assayed ore. Any size ground area may be provided for any number of beds which a particular day or days operation may require; four beds being shown in the present example for purpose of illustration of the preferred operation.

In order to quickly and economically operate the handling of the ore at this site, a mechanism A including a drag conveyor 15 and harrow 16 is suspended from an overhead track or trolley system including an oval or endless track 17 having its straight rails 18 extending lengthwise over the ground area 10 and beds at opposite sides of the slot 14 nearer to and parallel with the outer parallel side walls 11 of the enclosure. Cooperating in the plane of the overhead trolley system, is a straight mono-rail 19 arranged lengthwise over and parallel with the longitudinal center line of the slot 14, and equi-distant from the rails 18 to terminate short of the two curved ends 18' of the endless track 17. This overhead trolley system provides an endless track for the circuitous move ment of the mechanism A over the ground area 10 in an The mechanism A is supported in suspension from the overhead track 17 by a crane composed essentially of a main horizontal beam extending transversely between the trolley rails 18 and 19 for suspensiontherefrom; The inner end of this beam 20 is supported by a plain swivel trolley carriage 21 having wheelsrolling on .the lower flanges ofthe straight lbeam rail 19located over the slot 14 in the ground area10. "Suspendedfrom the carriage 21 by a ball thrust bearing is an adjustable swivel screw 22 supporting a second, trolley carriage, 23 provided with wheels 24 supporting the upper flange rails of a rail section 25 secured to the inner end of the beam 20 whereby the latter is swivelly suspended from the. rail 19 and is adjustable horizontally crosswise relative thereto.- I

Secured to the outer end of the beam '20 at right angles thereto is a horizontal conveyor'and harrow supportiug arm 26 which is swivelly, suspended equi-distantly on opposite sides of the beam 20 by a pair of spanner bars 27, each being swivelly suspendedat one end by a motor driven trolley 28 and at its other end by a plain trolley 29, both of which are mounted to run on the endless track 17, thereby suspending the weight of the outer end of beam 20 and the frame work of thescraper conveyor 15 and the harrow 16. Each of these spanner bars 27 is swivelly suspended at its ends by the power and plain trolleys 28 and 29, and each bar 27 is pivoted atits midsection by a vertical pin 30 having a ball bearing swivel 31 with the horizontal harrow supporting arm 26. Thus, the main supporting beam 20 and arm 26 from which the entire mechanism A is suspended, can move freely around the endless track 18 and 18' due to the pivoting-of the inner end of the beam 20 at the swivel 22, -while the vertical pivots 30 of the spanner bars'27 and their swivel connections with their trolleys permitthe harrow and conveyor supporting'arm 26 to follow around the curved ends 18' of the track in a counter-clockwise direction'indicated by the arrows B in Fig. 4 to succesesively attack the beds or piles of material.

The drag conveyor 15 has an elongated frame 32 mounting an endless conveyor belt or chains 33 with drag flights 34 driven by a 3 phase, 60 cycle electric gear motor 35 to scrape the ground area at the foot .ofa pile in a direction parallel with the beam 20 and'transversely of the material receiving slot 14 as shown by the direction arrow C in Fig. 1. The conveyor chain is driven by a drive sprocket secured to its axis 33' and moves about an idler sprocket axis 49. This drag conveyor is arranged beneath the beam 28 parallel and coextensive therewith,

with'its outer end extending a distance therebeyond to a point in proximity suspended from the beam 20 by a frame-work including horizontal beams 36, vertical supports 37 and suitable gusseted diagonals 38. The side of the conveyor frame 32 farther from the pile of material is provided with a gravitationally actuated scraper blade and baflie 39 hingedly supported therefrom by the parallel links 40 as shown in Fig. 2, to scrape the ground area 10 clean as the machine advances into the pile and to confine spilling of the material beyond the outside of the con veyor when dragging its load to the receiving slot 14. A pair of platforms 41 for pairs of pillow blocks 42 are supported between certain vertical bars 33 of the framework at equally spaced points'inwardly and beyond the outer end of the main beam 28 as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In each pair of blocks 42 is supported a horizontal shaft 43 extending crosswise of the conveyor frame work and beyond the same on the pile-side thereof for the mounting thereon of an oscillating depending hanger arm or link 44. The lower end of each link is pivoted on an axis 44 to a bearing45 having an axis 46 arranged at right angles to the pivot axis of the link. Each axis46 mounts a pair of bracket arms 47 which are secured to the lower inclined end of the harrow 16 whereby the lattermay be oscillated upon the slope of a pile, in a direc tion transversely of the slot 14. Another machinery platform 48 is securred to uprights 37 of the frame work, and besides mounting the motor 35, also mounts a second 3 phase 60 cycle motor 50, a speed reducer 51 and pillow blocks 52 for a crank shaft 53 having a crank arm 54 which is connected to the nearest link 44 by a connecting rod 55 for oscillating the, harrow. The motor operates the speed reducer and a chain drive 56 to a sprocket on the shaft 53 drives the latter.

The harrow 16 which operates upon the slope or in-. clined faces of the piles P etc. consists of .a frame essentially composed of a series of parallel horizontal bars 57 cross braced and joined by a series of parallel harrow tooth supporting bars 57. The harrow teeth 59 depend at right angular regularlyfspaced intervals from the bars 58 to engage and harrow the slope of the pile. In order for the harrow frame to' be supported at various inclinations of repose to meet pile slopes of varying angles, the uppermost frame bar 57 as shown in Fig. 2 is pivotally connected on an axis 60 parallel with this bar to a bearing having an axis 61 arranged cross-wise of the axis 60 for pivotally connecting the lower ends of a pair of hanger arms 62 to the harrow frame. This pair of hanger arms 62 is pivotally connected on horizontal axes 63 to opposite ends of a horizontal bar 64 which is swivelly mounted at its medial point on a vertical axis on an adjustable block 65 slidably mounted upon an inclined track or plate 66 fastened securely on the end of the beam 26 as best seen in Fig. 2. Rotatably mounted in bearings 67 is an inclined screw 68 which is threaded through the block 65 to raise or lower the upper end of the harrow frame to meet the slope of the pile of material encountered. Thus, as the harrow frame is oscillated by g the pitman or connecting rod 55, the frame will be oscilgravitational forces to the toeof the pile into the side of the drag conveyor where the flights thereof-moving lated upon the axis 63.and upon the axis of the power shaft 43 by the links or arms 44 and 62. The lower.

ends of these arms being pivotally connected on the two axes 44 and 46 and the two axes 60 and 61 to the harrow frame, the latter can tilt in all directions to adapt itself to the contours encountered on the piles of material. i

' As seen in Fig. 2, the harrow supporting beam 26 is supported in a horizontal plane by suitable gusseteddiagonal structural elements 70 connected thereto and to the vertical structural elements 37 of main frame work.

As the machine eats away a sloping face of the pile being removed, it is bodily advanced by the overhead power driven trolleys 28 to feel this face and follow it automatically until the pile or bed is entirely removed. This is accomplished by pivotally suspending a feeler arm 71 from a pivot 72 on the inside of the conveyor frame and having its lower pile engaging end 73 curved outwardly away from the pile and toward the conveyor. An electrical limit switch- 74 is mounted on the outside of the conveyor frame opposite the'pivotal support 72 of the feeler arm 71' and is connected to one of a series of adjustment openings in this arm by an operating rod 75. A coiled tension spring 76.is connected to this rod and to the conveyor frame to normally urge the arm 71 to its lower dotted line position as the face of the pile is removed thereby closing the limit switch 74 circuits to the motor driven. trolleys 28. vance the machine A as a unit farther into the pile, and inso doing, will cause the feeler arm 71.to swing outwardly again to tension the spring 76 and open the circuits of these motorized trolleys 28 and allow the machine to come to rest atits new working position. This arrangement can be made to work so that the machine, as a unit, will be constantly, or at intermittent intervals, urged against the face of the pile. V l

I It will of course be understood that the oscillating harrow will harrow and rake the ore material loose on the sloping face wh'ereit will move downwardly thereof by acrossthe ground area in a horizontal planeat right angles This will automatically adto the slot 14, will pick up and drag the ore up to and into this slot without manual attention. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the pile P is being removed and discharged into the open receiving slot 14 by the harrow 16 and drag conveyor 15. As the feeler mechanism 71 and limit switch 74 keep advancing the mechanism A into the receding pile P in the direction of the arrow B, the pile is finally removed, and the feeler mechanism will cause the motor driven trolleys 23 to advance the mechanism A in the direction of the arrows B to attack and start removing the next successive pile P. These operations are continued to successively remove the remaining piles P2 and P3 while new piles are being formed in their places to maintain a continuous operation. As the mechanism A is propelled around the curves 18' of the endless overhead track 17 by the motor driven trolleys 28 and the spanner bars 27 being swivelled to the overhanging supporting arm 26 permitting it to travel around the curves, the main horizontal supporting beam 2%) will sweep around these curves by swinging in an are about its pivot formed by the swivel 22 of trolley 21. Thus, the pile removing mechanism A can proceed to move in an endless path to successively attack and remove the piles, first at one side of the central receiving slot 14, and then along the other side thereof. It will move in a horizontal plane parallel with each side of the slot, while its harrow 16 will be oscillated across the slope of the pile and transversely of this slot and the drag conveyor 15 will operate in a clock-wise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and in a horizontal plane at right angles to the slot to drag the material across the ground area toward and into the slot, where it will be discharged into the slot and drop on the conveyor 13 to the tunnel 12 to be carried to its place of use.

A wiring diagram for the operation of the automatic operation of the invention is shown in Fig. 3 and suitable push button switches are incorporated therein whereby the various adjuncts may be operated manually when desired as will be obvious.

It will be understood that the fluxing agents and ores are generally deposited by an overhead system from bins, onto the piles of material being formed with different kinds of ore and flux necessary for any smelting operation. As a pile is formed, the different constituents thereof tend to stratify into several strata, but these are broken up and mixed by the later slicing action of the harrow mechanism through the strata and by the drag conveyor moving the material across the floor to the open slot 14. By the time the materials from the piles fall through this slot, all of the constituents thereof are thoroughly mixed and proportioned ready for smelting to be conveyed to the smelter by the takeaway conveyors 13. After a pile of material has been formed, further analysis thereof may indicate that some additional flux, or a difierent kind of flux should be added to the pile, and this may be done before the pile is moved into the slot; such movement thereof as herein described causing a thorough intermingling of the flux with the ores.

It will be apparent that the invention may be used for reclaiming a single pile or bed of material with the slot 14 extending along only one side of the pile, so that as the pile is being removed a new pile can be built up in its place so that the mechanism A can be moved around the track 17 and the slot 14 in a circuitous counter-clockwise direction until it comes into its original starting position ready to again remove the pile which is formed while the first pile is being removed.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the invention, it will be apparent that various changes in same can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

in an ore reclaimer system, the combination of an elongated ore storage floor, conveyor means extending longitudinally and substantially centrally of said storage fioor below the level thereof and communicating therewith by a slot in said floor over said conveyor means providing a passage through which ore may be fed from said floor onto said conveyor means, and an ore feeding mechanism for transferring ore from piles on said floor through said slot therein to said substantially centrally extending conveyor means including an endless overhead trolley rail structure extending substantially around the periphery of said floor and having straight side stretches and curved joining end stretches, an inner overhead trolley rail structure extending longitudinally of said floor and disposed centrally between and parallel to said straight :side stretches of said endless trolley rail structure, trolley carriage means including means movably mounting said trolley carriage means on said rail structures and having swivel mounts thereon providing for turning of said trolley carriage means around the ends of said inner rail structure and for travel of said carriage means longitudinally of said floor in opposite directions on opposite sides of said inner rail structure, means suspended from said trolley carriage means for raking material from a pile of ore on said floor to the base thereof, an endless drag conveyor extending transversely of said floor from adjacent to an outer side thereof to the space over said slot in said floor and being mounted and arranged on said trolley carriage means for travel therewith over said floor closely spaced therefrom and operable for feeding ore from said door to said first mentioned conveyor means through said slot, and means for driving said trolley carriage means around said rail structures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 537,680 Dodge Apr. 16, 1895 1,330,709 Hurt Feb. 10, 1920 1,464,747 Case Aug. 14, 1923 1,569,100 Mullin Jan. 12, 1926 1,752,026 Phillips Mar. 25, 1930 1,829,923 Cole Nov. 3, 1931 2,171,528 Andrada Sept. 5, 1939 2,423,279 Wren July 1, 1947 2,579,153 Meissner Dec. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,914 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1920

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