Pan and method of panning
OwnerKlinton D. Washburninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gold pan and method of panning. A concave pan with lip and an array of curved ribs with linear central regions coupled to and extending above and forward from lip, each rib including a cavity oriented to be orthogonal to the concavity of the pan to trap material flowing thereover. The lip has a front region with a greater radius of curvature than a radius of curvature of a back region. There are a plurality of finishing fins extending into an interior of the concave pan from a back wall or side wall thereof. Panning is performed by disposing particulate material within a provided pan; flowing material over the ribs; flowing material over a plurality of finishing fins; collecting particulate material in a corner of a flat bottom; tipping the pan; and tapping a side thereof to separate heavies.
Claims17
A method of panning, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a pan having a rib extending upwardly and laterally away from a reservoir of the pan wherein the pan includes a gate panel coupled between the reservoir and the rib which forms a gap between an edge of the gate panel and the rib;
- b. disposing particulate material within the reservoir;
- c. shaking the pan alternatingly back and forth along the rib;
- and
- d. tilting the pan in the direction of the rib, thereby flowing particulate material over the rib.
A method of panning, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a pan having a rib extending upwardly and laterally away from a reservoir of the pan wherein the pan includes a gate panel coupled between the reservoir and the plurality of ribs which forms a gap between an edge of the gate panel and the plurality of ribs;
- b. disposing particulate material within the reservoir;
- c. shaking the pan alternatingly back and forth along the rib;
- and
- d. tilting the pan in the direction of the rib to an angle wherein particulate material flows over the rib, thereby releasing less dense materials from the pan while trapping heavies behind the rib.
A method of panning, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a pan having a plurality of ribs in an array extending upwardly and laterally away from a reservoir of the pan wherein the pan includes a gate panel that is selectably removably coupled between the pan reservoir and the plurality of ribs which forms a gap between an edge of the gate panel and the plurality of ribs;
- b. disposing particulate material within the reservoir;
- c. shaking the pan alternatingly back and forth along the plurality of ribs;
- d. tilting the pan in the direction of the rib to an angle wherein particulate material flows over the rib, thereby releasing less dense materials from the pan while trapping heavies behind the rib;
- and
- e. holding the pan substantially in a tilted position with a consistent angle while additional particulate material is disposed within the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.