IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROASTING AND AMALGAMATING METALLIC ORES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel James Thomas, of 26, Great St. Helens, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
ROASTING AND AMALGAMATING METALLIC ORES." A communication from
abroad by Lewis Cawell, of Hampton, King's County, New Brunswick.
·
Scaled the 13th June 1876, and dated the 29th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel James Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th February 1876.
SAMUEL JAMES THOMAS, of 26, Great St. Helens, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROASTING AND AMALGAMATING METALLIC
ORES."
The object of the Invention is to so conduct the process of treating ores by
amalgamation that there may be but little interruption in the continuity of the
said process, and this object is attained in the manner which I will now proceed to
describe.
It
One or more retorts are employed, the lower ends being furnished with a water-
jacket condenser, with a screw or other equivalent contrivance for discharging the
ore. The upper portion of the retort is contained within a suitable furnace flue,
through which the products of combustion take a circuitous course in contact with
the retort until they escape to the chimney. Within the upper portion of the
retort one or more valves are arranged, which it is preferred to make like ordinary
hinged valves, the spindles passing through the brickwork of the furnace.
should be understood that these valves either fit so freely within the retort or are
so perforated that the vapours of mercury referred to hereafter can pass upwards
through the retort, the valves being merely supporters of the pulverized ores.
or near the junction of the upper with the lower portion of the retort, and within
the same, there is suspended a cup shaped valve, having trunnions adapted to
bearings, one of the trunnions projecting through the brickwork, and being
provided with a handle so that the valve may be tilted and its contents discharged
into the lower portion of the retort. This valve is so tight to its seat when closed
as to cut off the communication between the upper and lower portions of the retort,
this lower portion being also guarded with a valve.
At
In using the above described apparatus, the pulverized ore containing the precious
metals is permitted to pass from a hopper into the upper portion of the retort

page_text: where it is supported by the upper valve, then by tilting this valve the ore is
permitted to fall on to the valve below. In the meantime mercury has been
deposited in the receptacle of the cup-like valve. The charge of ore having been
gradually heated is now permitted to fall on to the cup-like valve by tilting the
valve above preparatory to the introduction of a new charge of ore in the upper
chamber. The ore resting on the cup-like valve is subjected to the direct action of
the vapours of mercury; in fact more or less of these vapours pass upwards through
the ore in the upper parts of the retort, and it is condensed by contact with the
fresh cold ores. After the ore has remained for a sufficient length of time the cup-
like valve is tilted, and the ore resting upon it is discharged into the chamber in
the lower portion of the retort, where it is permitted to become somewhat cool, and
is finally discharged into the condenser, from which it may be conveyed by the
screw to the outlet and thence to the washer, so as to separate the earthy particles
from amalgamated metals, which may be separated by the usual treatment.
Although it is preferred to place the mercury in the receptacle of the cup-like valve
this is not absolutely essential, there may be for instance a vessel projecting from
one side of the retort into the flue of the furnace or into a separate furnace, the
mercury being introduced into this vessel through a pipe, and the vapours passing
into the retort. It will be seen that the operations of charging the retort with ore,
subjecting the latter to the vapor of mercury, and the discharge of the heated
ore from the retort, may be conducted without any interruption, other than that
demanded in subjecting each charge of ore to the mercury treatinent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Samuel James Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th August
1876.
SAMUEL JAMES THOMAS, of 26, Great St. Helens, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROASTING AND AMALGAMATING METALLIC
ORES." A communication from abroad by Lewis Cawell, of Hampton, King's
County, New Brunswick.
The object of the Invention is to so conduct the process of treating ores by
amalgamation that there may be but little interruption in the continuity of tlic
said process, and this object is attained in the manner which I will now proceed to
describe, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is
a vertical section of the amalgamating apparatus, and Figure 2 a front elevation.
One or more retorts R are employed, the lower ends being furnished with a
water-jacket condenser E, with a screw S, or other equivalent contrivance for
discharging the ore. The upper portion of the retort is contained within a suitable
furnace, of which A is the fire-place, H the grate, and B a flue through which the
products of combustion takes a circuitous course in contact with the retort until
they escape at L to the chimney. Within the upper portion of the retort one or
more valves are arranged, which it is preferred to make like ordinary hinged valves,
the spindles passing through the brickwork of the furnace, so that either valve can
be made to assume the position shown by dotted lines. It should be understood
that these valves either fit so freely within the retort, or are so perforated, that the
vapors of mercury referred to hereafter can pass upwards through the retort, the
valves being merely supporters of the pulverized ores. At or near the junction
of the upper with the lower portion of the retort, and within the same, there is
suspended a cup-shaped valve V, having trunnions adapted to bearings, one of the
trunnions projecting through the brick work and being provided with a handle N,
so that the valve may be tilted and its contents discharged into the lower portion
of the retort. This valve is so tight to its seat when closed as to cut off the
communication between the upper and lower portions of the retort, this lower
portion being also guarded with a valve X, similar to the valves O and o.

page_text: In using the above described apparatus the pulverized ore containing the precious
metals is permitted to pass from a hopper into the upper portion of the retort,
where it is supported by the upper valve O, then by tilting this valve the ore is
permitted to fall on to the valve o of the chamber 2. In the meantime mercury
has been deposited in the receptacle of the cup-like valve V, by pouring it into the
funnel T, and permitting it to flow thence through the pipe Z into the said
receptacle. The charge of ore, having been gradually heated in the chamber 2, is
now permitted to fall on to the cup-like valve V by tilting the valve o above,
preparatory to the introduction of a new charge of ore in the upper chamber 2.
In the chamber 3, the ore resting on the cup-like valve is subjected to the direct
action of the vapors of mercury, in fact more or less of these vapors pass upwards
through the ore in the chamber 2 through that in the chamber I above, where it is
condensed by contact with the fresh cold ores. After the ore has remained in the
chamber 3 for a sufficient length of time, the cup-like valve V is tilted and the ore
resting upon it is discharged into the chamber 4 in the lower portion of the retort,
where it is permitted to become somewhat cool, and is finally discharged into the
condenser E, from which it may be conveyed by the screw S to the outlet and
thence to the washer, so as to separate the carthy particles from amalgamated
metals, which may be separated by the usual treatment. Although it is preferred
to place the mercury in the receptacle of the cup-like valve V, this is not absolutely
essential, there may be for instance a vessel a projecting from one side of the
retort 3 into the flue of the furnace, as shown in Figure 3, or into a separate furnace,
the mercury being introduced into this vessel through a pipe, and the vapors
passing into the retort at or near the joint above the valve V. It will be seen that
the operations of charging the retort with ore, subjecting the latter to the vapor of
mercury, and the discharge of the heated ore from the retort, may be conducted
without any interruption other than that demanded in subjecting such charge
of ore to the mercury treatment.
I claim as the Invention-
First. An amalgamating retort combined with a furnace, and having a moveable
valve V for supporting a charge of ore, while it is being subjected to the vapor of
mercury, and for discharging ore, substantially as set forth.
Second. The cup-shaped valve V, hung within the retort in combination with a
pipe Z, through which mercury may be introduced into the receptacle of the valve
V, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination in a retort of a tight fitting ore, supporting valve V
with valves O and o for supporting the ore without obstructing the outward
passage of the vapor of mercury, as specified.
Fourth. The combination in the retort of the valves V and X, and a condenser E,
as set forth.
In witness whereof, J, the said Samuel James Thomas, have hereunto set m
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.