Concentrator
United States Patent Davies Apr. 22, 1975 [54] CONCENTRATOR 3.241.674 3/1966 Weber 209/504 x 3.291.306 12 1966 St 209 508 X [75] lnventor: Derec Fay Vaughan Davies, Sydney, one  
 New South Wales, Australia [73] Assignee: Deister Concentrator Company Inc., Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Ft. Wayne, lnd. Assistant Examiner-Ralph J. Hill [22] Filed Oct 26 1972 Attornqv, Agent, or Firm-Paul M. Denk Appl. No.: 300,909  
 Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 28, 1971 Australia .0 6828/7! US. Cl. 209/441; 209/472; 209/480; 209/485; 209/486; 209/504; 209/366.5  
 Int. Cl B03b 3/12 Field of Search 209/504, 508, 503, 472, 209/479-481, 441, 485, 366.5, 367  
 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ambrose 209/503 [57] ABSTRACT A concentrator comprising a reversible pendantly mounted separating table, a drive unit of the poly eccentric fly wheel type, a rigid coupling between the table and the drive unit and the drive unit comprises two pairs of shafts each having a pair of arms and a weight secured between each pair of arms, interconnecting gears on the shafts and a motor drive connecting one of the shafts.  
 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures mad CONCENTRATOR This invention relates to a pendantly supported concentrator wherein mixtures of heavy and light discrete particles may be separated into heavier and lighter groups. Larger and smaller groups of particles may be likewise separated. e.g. coal from shale. rutile from sand. brass droppings from used foundry sand. gold from quartz.  
  In the prior art the power unit which imparted differential reciprocating motion to a gang of concentrator tables on which separation takes place had. in order to operate efficiently. to be suspended in a level horizon tal position. The power unit was of the poly eccentric flywheel type having eccentrically weighted horizontal shafts and was rigidly coupled to a yoke which was connected by hinges or universal joints to the respective tables. It was driven by a stationary power source such as an electric motor through some form of flexible drive such as conventional rubber V belts.  
  Broadly. in the present invention. the table is connected by a rigid coupling to a poly eccentric flywheel type power unit having a close coupled power source. With such an arrangement the power unit need not be maintained in horizontal position.  
  More specifically the present invention provides a concentrator comprising a separating table and a drive unit of poly eccentric flywheel type which inherently generates reciprocating motion which is quicker in one direction than in the opposite direction. a rigid coupling between the table and the drive unit. the coupling being releasable to permit the table to be adjusted at a desired sideways inclination. and attachment means on the drive unit and the table whereby the concentrator may be suspended on cables.  
  The invention in a presently preferred embodiment having a single table is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:  
 FIG. 1 is a plan view of the concentrator;  
  FIG. 2 is a side view of the concentrator of FIG. I with some of the drive unit components in section:  
  FIGS. 3a to 3d illustrate positions of the weights in the drive unit at various times in a reciprocating cycle; and  
 FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of FIG. I.  
  The concentrator comprises a table 1 rigidly coupled as at 2 to a drive unit 3. The drive unit 3 is of known principle and comprises a plurality of weights which are rotated to provide a reciprocating motion of the drive unit. The drive unit 3 comprises a housing 4 having bearings 5 in which are mounted two shafts 6 and two shafts 7, the shafts 6 each carry a pair of arms 8 and secured to the arms and extending therebetween is a weight 9. Likewise arms 10 are carried on the shafts 7 with a weight 11 secured to and extend between the arms 10 on each shaft 7. Gears l2 and 13 on the shafts 6 and 7 respectively interconnect the shafts 6 and 7 and the gears 12 are twice the size ofthe gears 13. A pulley I4 is fixed to one of the shafts 7 and a drive belt 15 connects the pulley 14 to a pulley 16 on a motor 17 fixed to the housing 4. The gears 12 and 13 are housed in an oil sump l8 and the weight of the oil. the oil sump and the gears (all disposed to one side of the drive unit 3) are counterbalanced to the weight of the motor 17 and pulleys l6 and 14 so that the drive unit can be supported if required from a single cable at a position indicated at l9. It is to be noted that the shafts are substantially normal to the plane of the table which is opposite to the prior mechanisms where the eccentrically loaded shafts were substantially parallel to the plane of the table. This change of orientation enables W and R of the drive unit to be readily changed to suit short&#34; or long drive unit as hereinafter explained. The way in which reciprocating motion is generated by the drive unit whilst it retains lateral stability is old in the art of concentrating tables and is schematically indicated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3a shows the weight 9 and 11 acting additively to produce movement in the direction of the arrow. FIG. 3b shows the weights in a balanced first midposition. it is to be noted that the weights are symmetrical thereby avoiding any tendency for the drive unit to move laterally. FIG. 30 illustrates the weights acting substractively to provide movement in the direction of the arrow which is less than the movement in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3a. FIG. 3d illustrates the weights in a balanced second mid-position. which like the first mid-position generates no lateral movement of the drive unit. Subsequent to the position shown in FIG. 3d the weights take up the position shown in FIG. 3a where their effect again becomes additive.  
  Hitherto it has been common practice in concentrating tables to connect the table to the power unit by a hinge or universal type joint. This joint is replaced in the present invention by the rigid coupling 2. The coupling 2 comprises a first member 20 fixed to the housing 4 and having a threaded shank 21 on which there is mounted a lock nut 22. The shank 21 is threaded into a socket 23 fixed to the table 1. At the other end of the table there is a suspension assembly indicated generally at 24 which comprises an eye member 25 adapted to receive a cable and having a threaded shank 26 on which there is a lock nut 27. The shank 26 is threaded into a socket member 28 fixed to the table I. By slackening the lock nuts 22 and 27 the table may be inclined sideways as a result of relative rotation between the members 2l23 and 26-28. When the required incIination of the table is obtained the lock nuts 22 and 27 are tightened against the members 23 and 28 respectively to maintain the table in the required position. Inclination can be varied without the drive unit 3 or the eye member 25 moving from their original position. Although the eye member is described as being of a special type any mechanical equivalent would be satisfactory.  
  It follows from the foregoing that the concentrator may be suspended at two points namely 19 and 25. that the power unit 3 by virtue of its symmetrical manufacture will reciprocate without lateral movement and that the concentrator table may be inclined sideways relative to the suspending cables (considered as vertical and datum lines). The concentrator as a whole may be inclined longitudinally as required by operating conditions by varying the length of the cables.  
  The drive unit 3 may be readily adapted to cater for different reciprocation requirements. The arms 8 and 10 are clamped onto the shafts 6 and 7 thereby allowing them to be moved together or apart to accommodate weights of different length. In addition the weights are secured by screws 29 to the arms 8 and 10 enabling the weight to be readily replaced. It is to be noted (see weight 9 FIG. 2) that the weight 9 has holes therein for the securing screws eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the weights. Referring to FIG. 2. the longitudinal axis of weights 9 is shown in broken outline as being outside the fastening screws 29. By the simple expedient of rotating the weight 9 and refastening with the screws 29 the longitudinal axis can be disposed between the screws 29 and the shaft 6. By this means the effective radius at which weight 9 is operating has been increased. Thus. a long-felt need in the art of concentrators has been fulfilled. that is. a ready ability to vary both weight (W) and radius (R) of the reciprocation creating weights.  
  This invention also allows of the manufacture of multi-tabled concentrators without the need for yokes which were necessary with the pivot or universal joints of the old type concentrators. Yokes connected a drive unit to the tables. now. the tables can be rigidly direct coupled to a common drive unit. In order to do this the drive unit must be &#34;long&#34; and the present arrangement with shafts normal to the plane of the table enables the drive units to be elongated as required. a feature not to be found in prior art concentrator drive units. Additionally. the mass and physical size of the weights can be readily varied because of the weight securement features hereinbefore described.  
  It is also within the scope of the invention to provide opposed tables or banks of tables with a central drive unit. the feed and discharge points and the inclinations of the tables being varied as required.  
  As illustrated the table 1 is riffled on both sides. FIG. 4 shows coarse riffles on one side. indicated as 30 and fine riffles on the other side. indicated 30a. The means whereby the table can be angled also permits rotation of the table through 180. Hence an operator may readily change from a coarse riffle pattern to a fine riffle pattern simply by turning the table over. FIG. 4 also illustrates the fact that if the table is made with a skeletal frame (as shown in dotted outlines in FIG. 1) a hollow compartmented structure is provided. By replacing one of the riffle surfaces by a mesh. air aggitation of the material to be treated can be achieved by introducing compressed air into the compartments identified 31 in FIG. 4. The compartments 31 may be interconnected if desired by suitable apertures through the table skeletal frame members 32.  
  For practical purposes it may be desired to support the concentrator assembly by more than two cables, for example a cable may be used to support the table corner 34 in the event that the balance of the assembly is upset by the use of a sluicing gutter along the side 35 or the end 36 of the table. A sluicing gutter is sometimes added to collect the material washed sideways or off the end of the table during the concentrating operation. It may also be desired to support the drive unit by two cables rather than the single cable as hereinbefore mentioned. Irrespective of the number of cables the length adjustments need only be arbitrary. This is contrary to the situation with known concentrators where efficient operation depended upon critical cable length adjustments.  
 I claim:  
  I. A concentrator comprising a separating table and a drive unit of poly eccentric flywheel type which inherently generates reciprocating motion which is quicker in one direction than in the opposite direction.  
 anaxially rigid releasable coupling between the table and the drive unit. means for releasing and locking the coupling to permit rotation and securing of the table at a desired sideways inclination. and attachment means on the drive unit and the table for suspending the concentrator on cables.  
  2. A concentrator as claimed in claim I, wherein the coupling between the drive unit and the table comprises a first member. a threaded shank on the first member. a second member. a threaded socket in the second member with said shank engaged in the socket, and a lock nut on the shank to lock the first and second members against relative rotation and axial movement.  
  3. A concentrator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the table has two usable surfaces and the attachment means of the table comprises a first part fixed to the table and including a socket and a second part rotatably mounted in the socket for engagement by a cable. either of the two usable surfaces of the table can be brought into operative position by turning the table relative to the drive unit by temporarily releasing the coupling between the table and the drive unit.  
  4. A concentrator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive unit comprises a housing, two pairs of parallel shafts rotatably mounted in the housing. the axes of the shafts of one pair lying in a plane which is parallel to a plane including the axes of the shafts of the other pair. both planes being substantially normal to the plane of the table and at right angles to the direction of reciprocation of the table. drive means mounted on the housing to rotate the shafts in timed relation to each other. a weight eccentrically fixed to each shaft. the  
 weights fixed to the shafts of the pair closest to the table being the same and larger than the remaining two weights which are the same and are fixed to the shafts of the other pair so as to impart the required reciprocating motion to said drive unit upon rotation of the shafts.  
  5. A concentrator as claimed in claim 4 including arms secured to each shaft for eccentrically mounting the weights on the shafts. means to secure each weight to its arms and permit the distance from the centre of gravity of each weight to its shaft to be altered.  
  6. A concentrator as claimed in claim 5 including means to secure the arms to the shaft which permits axial adjustment of the arms on the shafts so theweights can be replaced by weights of different dimensions.  
  7. A concentrator comprising a separating table and a drive unit of poly eccentric flywheel type which inherently generates reciprocating motion which is quicker in one direction than in the opposite direction. said drive unit including eccentrically weighted parallely disposed shafts having their axes substantially normal to the surface of the table. an axially rigid rotatable coupling between the table and the drive unit. means for releasing and locking the coupling to permit rotation and securing of the table at a desired sideways inclination. and attachment means on the drive unit and the table for suspending the concentrator on cables.  
  l l =l =l