Improvements in Amalgamating Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Amalgamating Apparatus.
I, ALFRED ANDREW LOCKWOOD, 388, Cleveland Street, Sydney, New South
Wales, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This is an apparatus and process for treating auriferous, argentiferous, and other
ores, by passing water carrying crushed or pulverised ore generally known as
'pulp," through tubes into a shallow pan, so that their orifices dip below the
surface of the water, and the tendency of the particles of the metal to float on its
surface is prevented. The tubes placed vertically, or sufficiently inclined for
descent of water are fed from above. They pass through and are fixed near their
orifices to a plate, which is so arranged that it can be made to rotate horizontally
carrying the tubes with it, above a pan in which mercury is contained.
Between the under surface of the plate and the upper surface of the mercury
a space is left, into which the pulp can pass, so as to pass into the mercury and
flow away after. The plate and tubes may be fixed and the pan be made to
revolve so as to obtain the same effect.
An electric current is passed through the contents of the pan by connecting one
wire of a battery with the upper plate, and the other wire with the pan, by which
means the amalgamating action of the mercury on the metal in the pulp is very
greatly increased.
Dated this 23rd (Twenty-third) day of July 1897.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Amalgamating Apparatus.
I, ALFRED ANDREW LOCKWOOD, of 388, Cleveland Street, Sydney: New South
Wales, also of 29, Cornhill, London, England, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to improved amalgamating-apparatus for treating
auriferous and argentiferous ores and the like and extracting the metals therefrom,
and is designed to render the action of such apparatus more effective than that of
existing amalgamating apparatus, with the object of avoiding loss of the light or
float metal and obtaining a more complete extraction of the metal from the ore
pulp.
To this end, the invention is characterized by so constructing and arranging the
parts of the amalgamator is to cause the ore pulp, in a watery condition, to be
distributed, through a series of tubes rotated about a common axis, between the

page_text: surface of mercury contained in a shallow pan and a superposed rotary plate,
which, by its centrifugal action, causes all particles of the pulp to be radially spread
over a wide area of the mercury, whereby the tendency of any light particles of
metal to float away will be prevented and their amalgamation with the mercury
will be assured and there will be a more complete extraction of the metal than is
obtained in existing amalgamating apparatus.
On the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, represents a vertical section of the improved apparatus; and
Fig. 2, represents a sectional plan thereof through A-B, Fig. 1.
a, is a stationary. shallow pan which serves to hold a layer of mercury, and is
peripherally flanged at a', and fitted with a pulp overflow shoot, a², and is formed
with a draining recess, a³, and outlet tap, a, by which the mercury and extracted
metal and the water below the overflow level can be discharged from the pan, as
occasion requires. The central part, 5, of the pan is upraised and adapted at a,
to serve as a bearing to the upper part of a vertical shaft, b, which is mounted in
a foot-step, b1, and can be driven by gearing, 62, from any convenient source of
motive power, and, above the bearing, a, is keyed, as at 63, to an overhanging
yoke, b, which descends around the upraised central part of the pan, and supports
a peripherally flanged distributing plate, 65, the under surface of which is formed
with radial grooves, 66, and is set just above the surface of the mercury in the
pan.
The yoke is surrounded by a trough, 67, which is fitted with a series of tubes, 68,
which depend therefrom and pass through the plate, 65, and open below the under
surface thereof immediately above the mercury in the pan. The trough is pro-
vided with a circular shutter plate, 69, which is formed with openings, 610, coin-
cident in position with the inlet openings of the pendent tubes, 68, and with guide
slots, 61, which engage with bolts, 612, inserted in the trough and enable the
plate, 69, to be shifted in a circular movement by handles, 613, so as to more or less
close the inlet ends of the tubes, 68, and regulate the outflow of the pulp from the
trough to the mercury pan, as may be required. The overflow, a², may also be
fitted with an adjustable shutter, a', by which the level of the outflow can be
adjusted as may be required, so that, by such means, the discharge of the ore
pulp can be efficiently controlled.
The distance between the plate, b³, and the pan bottom can be regulated and
adjusted by means of an adjusting screw, 614, taking its bearing on the end of the
shaft, b, and a set nut, 615.
In the operation of the amalgamator, the distributing plate is caused, by the
means described, to rotate in the body of the liquid pulp and immediately above
the level of the mercury in the pan, and the pulp, (fed into the trough from any
suitable inflow,) passes therefrom in controllable quantity through the pendent
tubes into the amalgamator pan at equidistant points around and adjacent to its
centre, whence, by the combined action of its flow and of the rotation of the dis-
tributing plate, it is caused to be spread over and in contact with a wide area of
the mercury, which is peculiarly effective in causing the light particles of float
metal (which, in existing amalgamators, float away with the pulp,) to be extracted
by the mercury, together with the heavier particles which gravitate to the mercury,
and there is, consequently, a saving of much present loss and a more complete
obtainment of the metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
In amalgamating apparatus for treating auriferous and argentiferous ores and
the like; in combination; a stationary pan adapted with a peripheral pulp over-
flow and a mercury outlet, and with an upraised central part adapted to act as a
bearing to a central shaft; an overhanging yoke keyed to the shaft and extending
around the upraised central part of the pan and adapted with a flanged and super-

page_text: ficially grooved. distributing plate set at a short distance above the mercury in the
pan, and with a pulp trough fitted with a series of pendent tubes passing through
to the under surface of the distributing plate, and with an adjustable shutter plate
adapted to more or less close the inlet openings to the said tubes; and means of
rotating the central shaft; as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of April 1898
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.