429

No. 285,110.

S

ship

Witnesses, Gea H Strong Det Nourse

Inventors Hmm F Carter John Adams B.Dewey & Co. Att megs

"Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved concentrator. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the principal operating devices. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail, illustrating the yielding supports which sustain the apron frame, and the fastenings of said supports. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the under side of the lower support of the yielding supports. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one of the apron drums. Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the cam to stop the feed of the apron. Fig. 9 is a detail showing the stop mechanism enlarged. A represents the main side timbers of the machine, supported upon legs, B. C represents the endless belt or blanket, having the side flanges, c. This belt travels over a frame, a side piece of which is shown by D, in which are journaled rollers, d, d, upon which the belt passes. J is a large roller or drum at the upper end or head of the machine, over which and by means of which the belt travels. The other end of the I machine has a similar drum, J1, around which the belt passes at the lower -end. B1 represents the water distributer, and C1 the ore distributer, from

which the ore is delivered upon the belt. The frame, D, is supported by elastic O spring straps, E, adapted to yield sufficiently to allow the frame to swing. The lower ends of these straps, E, pass down inside of the main side timbers, A, and are supported by them through the medium of blocks, e, in a manner hereinafter explained. F is a shaft carrying the driving pulley, G. The end of shaft, F, is provided with a short crank, f, to which is connected a pitman, H, extending to and secured to frame, D. Power applied to pulley, G, causes the pitman, H, to move the frame, D, with its belt, C, forward and backward, swinging upon supporting straps, E, thus giving to said belt the side

shake.

"In order to obtain the uphill travel of the belt, and make provision for its side shake, as just explained, we have the following: The drum, J, has a gudgeon, j. To this gudgeon is rigidly secured a strong spring. I, having a spiral shape, as shown, and adapted to yield laterally. Journaled in the frame is a shaft, K, carrying upon one end a larger gear wheel, L. To the other end of this shaft is secured a crank, k, the end of which engages the free end of spiral spring, I. The gear wheel, L, meshes with a worm gear, M, below. This worm gear is upon one end of a shaft, N, the other end of which carries a pulley, O, from which a belt, o, extends to a cone pulley, P, upon the shaft, F, above described. When power is applied to shaft, F, it is transmitted, as before described, to cause the side shake of the belt, and at the same time, through pulleys, P and O, shaft, N, and worm, M, it is transmitted to gear, L, and shaft, K. This shaft, revolving, causes its crank, k, to revolve the drum, J, by means of the spiral spring, I, which, though rigid for this pressure, yields laterally, and allows the drum, J, to move sidewise with the frame, D, and the belt. It is sometimes desirable to stop the uphill travel of the belt immediately. To do this we provide a circular casing or rim, Q, the hub, q, of which fits loosely, as a sleeve, upon shaft, K, or upon its bearing. This casing surrounds the gear, L, except at the bottom, where it extends downwardly, and forms a casing, as shown at Q1, for the worm gear, M, and has a projection, q1, supporting boxes, r, r, for bearings for shaft, N. Under certain circumstances it is highly desirable to instantly stop the movement of the belt, C, and, in order to accomplish this. the pulley, O, must be suddenly relieved from the effects of the driving belt, o, which we accomplish as follows: The pulley, O, shaft, N, boxes, r, r, worm gear, M, and casing, Q, Q1, being all supported from one point, namely, the hub, q, of the casing surrounding shaft, K, they have a common rotary movement around said shaft, the preponderance of the weight, obviously, on the side towards the pulley, O, on shaft, N, tending to depress pulley, O, and keep the belt, o, stretched, so as to rotate pulley, O. By moving all the elements just previously recited so as to elevate the large pulley, O, the effect of the belt, o, ceases. From the rear of the portion Q1 of the casing projects a stud, t, and moving on a spindle. 5. conveniently located on the machine, is a cam, S, rotating in a plane, at right angles to the shaft, N, and provided with the face, s, adapted to come in contact with the stud, t. and force it in the direction of the pulley, O. This movement rotates the casing, Q. Q1, to a limited degree around shaft, K, and thereby raises worm gear, M, boxes, r, r, shaft, N, and pulley, O, the pulley moving through the longest arc, and being relieved from the effect of belt, o.”

The particular mechanism of this patent to be considered in connection with complainant's patent is described by the patentee in the following language:

"It has been found by experience that, despite the greatest care and uniformity in making the class of machines, results will differ in machines of the same construction. In some the ore will bank or collect at one side of the belt against the flange, and in others it will bank in another place, without any apparent cause, as the belts all run smoothly and easily, and are, to all appearances, nicely adjusted. We have discovered that by changing to a limited degree the inclination of the supporting strips, E, the belt is affected in such manner as to remedy this fault, and to distribute the ore evenly over its surface. We accomplish this adjustment by means of a rocking nut, which

enables the operator to change the position of the faces of the supports of straps, E. The said supports are constructed as follows: Bolts, b, passing vertically through the timbers, A, hold beneath said timbers blocks, e, having their upper surfaces, where they bear against the timbers, rounded, as shown at e2, and having longitudinal slots, e1, to receive the bolts, and sockets, e3, to receive the lower ends of the straps, E. The lower surface of each block has a longitudinal depression, e, in which rests a washer, i, having a curvilinear face, against which rests the head of the bolt when in position. A blow or a series of blows upon the block, e, will cause it to change position by rocking on the curved face, e2, against the timber, A, and the curved face of washer, i, against the head of the bolt, so as to vary the position of strap, E, as to a vertical line. We do not confine ourselves to this particular construction or means for adjusting these strips, as there are many ways in which it can be accomplished. We consider, however, the way here shown as being a good one, as it secures the strips firmly, and yet allows their adjustment when necessary."

As represented in the drawings, the supporting strips, E, are exactly parallel to each other. The upper portion of the strips is almost flush against the side of the shaking frame, while the lower portion is in a similar position to the timbers of the stationary frame, not permitting of lateral adjustment to any marked degree. But it is asserted by the respondent that in the machines in actual use provision was made for the lateral inclination of the supporting strips to an extent not indicated in the patent, and that this use anticipated complainant's patent. It appears from the testimony that all ore concentrators are sensitive machines, and the operation of saving sulphurets and material of different specific gravities is a particularly delicate one. In the working of the machines the pulp is often unevenly distributed over the surface of the belt. This may result from irregularities in castings, unevenness of the floor upon which the machine stands, sagging of some parts of the framework, inaccuracies in fittings, or other causes incident to the violent shaking motion. To remedy this banking of the pulp in the Frue concentrators, it was found necessary to alter the inclination of the supporting strips, thus varying the level of the belt surface. Sometimes the proper adjustment was secured by blows upon the block, e, described in the specification; sometimes inclining but one supporting strip from the vertical, and sometimes altering the inclination of all. This naturally led to the construction of machines permitting the needed lateral adjustment of the supporting strips, and the testimony of many witnesses conclusively shows that the Frue machines in use for some time prior to the issuance of complainant's patent contained supporting strips having various degrees of inclination, often to the extent of 14 inches; that this inclination in a strip 174 inches long would not be noticeable to the casual observer, but that it did, as a fact, exist, and performed the functions of the improvement claimed by complainant in his patent. That complainant was the first to crystallize this idea into a machine having the inclined supporting strips or hangers as its chief improvement, and apply for a patent therefor, is undisputed. But was it not, at most, a very slight and formal advance in the art beyond what was known, and of very easy production to one skilled in the art, to construct a machine with the 96 F.-28