Flotation apparatus

Claim 1

A FLOTATION APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING MINERAL MIXTURES IN LIQUID MEDIA BY AIR-FROTH FLOATING A CONSTITUENT OF THE MIXTURE, COMPRISING A VESSEL CONTAINING MIXTURELADEN LIQUID WHEN THE APPARATUS IS IN OPERATION, AND HAVING AN OVERFLOW FOR SEPARATED MATERIALS, A TUBULAR AIRSUCTION DUCT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID VESSEL, SAID TUBE HAVING AN OPEN LOWER END WHOSE OUTLET OPENING IS LOCATED IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID VESSEL, A VERTICAL DRIVE SHAFT COAXIALLY TRAVERSING SAID AIR DUCT AND HAVING A LOWER END PROTRUDING DOWNWARDLY OUT OF SAID AIR OUTLET OPENING, A HORIZONTAL GUIDE PLATE FIXEDLY MOUNTED IN SAID VESSEL NEAR AND OPENING AND HAVING A SUCTION OPENING GREATER IN DIAMETER THAN, DIRECTLY BELOW AND RADIALLY SPACED FROM SAID AIR OUTLET OPENING, A LIQUID SUPPLY STRUCTURE HAVING AN END PORTION FORMING AN ANNULAR CHAMBER COAXIALLY AROUND SAID LOWER END OF SAID AIR DUCT NEAR SAID AIR OUTLET OPENING AND ABOVE SAID PLATE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SUCTION OPENING, AND STIRRER MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT BELOW SAID AIR OUTLET OPENING AND SAID SUCTION OPENING AND ROTATABLE FOR PRODUCING A FLOW OF LIQUID IN SAID LIQUID-SUPPLY STRUCTURE DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY ALONG AND AROUND SAID LOWER OPEN END OF SAID AIR DUCT WHEREBY AIR IS INJECTED INTO SAID LIQUID THROUGH SAID AIR DUCT.