of which might otherwise escape, and be washed off by the water flowing down the incline, and lost. The lateral oscillation of the belt frame is imparted by pitmen, J, connected to cranks, J1, upon the driving shaft, K, which is journaled in bearings upon the stationary main frame. The pitmen extend across the belt, and are connected to the side beam of the belt frame. The shaft, K, which carries the driving pulley, L, is connected by a belt, M, running on two cone pulleys, N, O, to the counter shaft, P, which is the driving shaft for giving the longitudinal or ‘uphill' movement to the belt. By using these cone pulleys, I am enabled, by shifting the belt, M, to change the speed of the shaft, P; and to accomplish this easily, and at the same time provide a belt tightener, I journal the shaft, P, in adjustable boxes. f (Fig. 1), by means of which the strain on the belt may be increased or diminished, as required. The shaft which gives the longitudinal motion to the belt is composed of two parts, P, P1, the latter being journaled in a bearing in the belt frame, and having a worm, g, engaging with a screw gear wheel, h, on the journal of the driving roller, C. As the main part, P, of the shaft is journaled in the stationary main frame, while the part P1, driving roller, and gearing must swing with the belt frame, a length of flexible shafting is interposed, and connected by couplings, i, i, to the two parts of the shaft, P. Any kind of flexible shafting may be used, but I prefer to employ a sufficiently stiff piece of wire rope or cable, which is well fitted for the purpose. Journaled in the sides of the belt frame, and alternating with the rollers, D, is a series of cones, Q, mounted upon short stub axles, j. (See Fig. 4.) The purpose of these is to turn up the edge of the belt as it passes over the rollers, D, and thus form a continuous flange to retain the pulp, and prevent overflow at the sides. Such cones have been used before for the same purpose, but have always been formed with the rollers, D. The result was that the difference in speed, produced by the difference between the diameters of the roller and the cone, would cause a drag on the belt, and its consequent wear. By making the cones separate and independent, both cones and rollers take simply the speed of the belt, and there is no unequal strain upon the latter. R represents the pulp box supported by standards, k, on the belt frame, and shown as provided with a series of orifices, 1, in front, to distribute the pulp to the belt. "I have heretofore referred to the belt as composed of canvas or like textile material. In order to preserve the belt from wear and the liability to decay, I boil or soak the canvas in a weak solution of glue, gelatine, or other animal fiber, which thoroughly permeates it. I then boil it in tan-bark water, which converts the gelatine into tannate of gelatine, and produces a textile fabric of great durability, and which also resists decay. S (see Figs. 6 and 7) represents the water box situated in front of the pulp box, and supported by an arm, 11, connected to the main frame. The front board, m, of the box has its upper edge perforated a sufficient distance with a series of vertical holes or passages, n. At the bottom of this series, and intersecting the holes composing it, is a series of horizontal holes or passages, o, extending entirely through the board, so as to let water pass from the interior of the box. Each of the vertical holes, n, is provided with a screw or plug, p, by means of which the water may be entirely shut off from each passage, o, or allowed to run freely therefrom, and otherwise regulated. The water escaping from the holes, o, is conducted to the belt by vertical grooves or 'saw cuts,' q. extending down to the lower edge of the front board; the latter being beveled to a sharp edge, r, to prevent the water from finding its way backward along the bottom of the box. This is, an exceedingly cheap, simple, and effective way of constructing the water box, and of regulating not only the amount of water supplied to the belt, but its proper distribution over the surface." Claims 1 and 2, said by complainant to be infringed by respondent, are as follows: "(1) In combination, a belt frame, means for sustaining the same, consisting of links, I, at its opposite sides, pivoted to the belt frame and the main frame. to have movement laterally thereof only, said links being permanently set at an angle to each other, and means for moving the frame on the angularly ar ranged supporting links, substantially as described. (2) In combination, a belt frame, means for supporting and directing the movement of the same, consisting of the links, I, having movement transversely of the frame only, said links being set permanently at an angle to each other, and being capable of adjustment to vary the said angle, and the means for moving the frame, substantially as described." The respondent, in his amended answer, sets up the defenses of want of invention and anticipation, and denies the charge of infringement. In support of the defense of anticipation, reliance is made upon the following prior patents: No. 325,129, dated August 25, 1885, granted by the United States to E. W. Stephens, for improvements in ore concentrators, and No. 285,110, dated September 18, 1883, to John M. Adams and William F. Carter, for improvements in ore concentrators; also upon the printed pamphlets published and put in general circulation by the said Adams and Carter for the purpose of advertising and selling their patented machines under the name of the "Frue Concentrators." A list of mines is also set forth at which the said Frue concentrators are alleged to have been used prior to complainant's patent. The primary question to be determined is the validity of complainant's patent. What is the essential idea or conception embodied therein? As stated in the specification, the improvements consist in a novel manner of connecting the belt frame carrying the moving belt to the stationary main frame, so as to produce an oscillatory motion of the former, and means for changing the degree of such oscillation. The method of operation is the following: The supporting strips pivotally connecting the belt frame with the stationary frame at the four corners are angularly inclined. Mechanism is provided for giving a lateral motion to the belt frame, and the surface of the belt is given an oscillatory motion by the swinging of the supporting strips, the degree of oscillation depending upon the divergence or convergence of the links or supporting strips. The state of the art at the time complainant applied for his patent discloses ore concentrators having a lateral movement of the belt frame, effected by various mechanical devices. The greatest reliance is placed by respondent upon the Carter and Adams patent as anticipating the patent in suit. The Frue Company now own the Carter and Adams patent, and all machines manufactured in accordance with that patent are commonly known as "Frue Concentrators." The accompanying drawings illustrate the device, and are explained as follows: |