Ore concentrator table support

Claim 1

An ore concentrator, comprising: a base having a major axis; a riffle table including a floor, a front wall, a side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from said floor and forming an angle of approximately 135 degrees therewith and a discharge end, said floor having a plurality of riffles provided thereon in parallel, spaced-apart relation; a pair of support members each having first and second edge portions; a hinge swingably connecting one of said edge portions of each of said support members to said base in spaced-apart relation along a line parallel to its major axis; a threaded member adjustably supporting the other of said edge portions of each of said support members on said base in a manner such that said other edge portions of said support members may be supported by said base at elevations exceeding the elevation of each of said one edge portions of said support members; a plurality of ball bearings reciprocably coupling said riffle table to said edge portions of said support members in a manner such that the longitudinal edge portions of said riffle table will remain parallel to said first and second edge portions of said support members during reciprocation of said riffle table regardless of the amount of inclination imparted to said riffle table about its major axis by said threaded members; and a stationary water distribution system including a conduit solely supported by said base adjacent said side wall in a position such that water discharging from said conduit will flow down said side wall and onto said floor, said conduit being provided with a plurality of water-outlet apertures spaced uniformly along said conduit from said front wall to said discharge end of said table, said water distribution system also including an arcuate band frictionally engaging said conduit over each aperture, each of said bands including an edge portion adapted to regulate flow of water through its associated aperture when rotated to a predetermined position on said conduit.