Washing subdivided solids

Claim 2

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR WASHING SUBDIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL BEARING IMPURITIES WHICH COMPRISES FLOWING A SEPARATE JET OF WASHING LIQUID TANGENTIALLY AND UNDER PRESSURE INTO EACH OF A SERIES OF HYDROCYCLONES, FLOWING SAID SOLID MATERIAL AS A SLURRY SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH SAID HYDROCYCLONES, SEPARATING OUT SAID SUSPENSION BY CENTRIFUGAL ACTION IN THE CORRESPONDING HYDROCYCLONE INTO A THICK SLURRY AND A PREDOMINANTLY SOLIDS-FREE LIQUID CONTAINING IMPURITIES, AND SEPARATELY DISCHARGING SAID SLURRY AND LIQUID FORM EACH HYDROCYCLONE, EACH SLURRY DISCHARGED FROM A PRECEEDING HYDROCYCLONE IN THE SERIES BEING SUPPLIED TO THE SUCCEEDING HYDROCYCLONE.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR WASHING SUBDIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL SUCCESSIVELY WITH LIQUID JETS COMPRISING: A SERIES OF HYDROCYCLONES, EACH INCLUDING A TANGENTIAL INLET, AN OVERFLOW OUTLET AND AN UNDERFLOW OUTLET, AND EJECTOR FOR EACH HYDROCYCLONE HAVING THE DISCHARGE THEREOF CONNECTED TO DISCHARGE TO THE INLET OF THE CORRESPONDING HYDROCYCLONE AND INCLUDING PRESSURE AND SUCTION INLETS, MEANS FOR ADMITTING WASHING LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE PRESSURE INLET OF EACH OF SAID EJECTORS TO FORM A PRESSURE JET THEREIN, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID SOLID MATERIAL TO THE SUCTION INLET OF THE EJECTOR CONNECTED TO THE FIRST HYDROCYCLONE IN THE SERIES FOR ENTRAINMENT BY THE PRESSURE JET IN SAID EJECTOR, AND CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING CORRESPONDING OUTLETS FROM HYDROCYCLONES OTHER THAN THE LAST IN SERIES DIRECTLY TO THE SUCTION INLETS OF THE RESPECTIVELY SUCCEDING EJECTORS FOR ENTRAINMENT BY THE PRESSURE JETS IN THE RESPECTIVE EJECTORS.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR WASHING SUBDIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL SUCCESSIVELY WITH LIQUID JETS COMPRISING: A SERIES OF HYDROCYCLONES, EACH INCLUDING A TANGENTIAL INLET, AN OVERFLOW OUTLET AND AN UNDERFLOW OUTLET, AND EJECTOR FOR EACH HYDROCYCLONE HAVING THE DISCHARGE THEREOF CONNECTED TO DISCHARGE TO THE INLET OF THE CORRESPONDING HYDROCYCLONE AND INCLUDING PRESSURE AND SUCTION INLETS, MEANS FOR ADMITTING WASHING LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE PRESSURE INLET OF EACH OF SAID EJECTORS TO FORM A PRESSURE JET THEREIN, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID SOLID MATERIAL TO THE SUCTION INLET OF THE EJECTOR CONNECTED TO THE FIRST HYDROCYCLONE IN THE SERIES FOR ENTRAINMENT BY THE PRESSURE JET IN SAID EJECTOR, AND CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING CORRESPONDING OUTLETS FROM HYDROCYCLONES OTHER THAN THE LAST IN SERIES DIRECTLY TO THE SUCTION INLETS OF THE RESPECTIVELY SUCCEDING EJECTORS FOR ENTRAINMENT BY THE PRESSURE JETS IN THE RESPECTIVE EJECTORS.