AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING THE GOLD AND SILVER CONTAINED IN PULVERIZED ORES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Cornides, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing
Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING THE GOLD AND SILVER CONTAINED IN
PULVERIZED ORES."
Sealed the 17th April 1855, and dated the 17th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Cornides at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th October 1854.
I, LOUIS CORNIDES, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING THE GOLD AND SILVER CONTAINED
IN PULVERIZED ORES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a novel and peculiar mechanical arrangement and
combination of parts, constituting an apparatus designed for the purpose of
effecting in a more simple and efficient manner than heretofore the well-
known process of amalgamating gold and silver, either by the dry process or the
wet process, said Invention being effected in the following manner and by the
following means; the features of novelty consisting, firstly, in combining a
revolving cylinder or cylinders with an eccentric and endless band of gutta
percha, or other elastic substance, placed around such said cylinder or cylinders,
and kept in forced contact therewith by pressure from a body of quicksilver
placed in a trough or case, in which said cylinder and band revolve
upon an

page_text: air-tight axis, the lower part of the said case being made of a semicircular
form, so as to expose a large surface of quicksilver in as small a compass as is
practicable; and I securely fix to the sides of the case or trough a piece of
metal or cover of the same curvature as the cylinder, taking care that the ends
of such said cover extend sufficiently below the centre of the cylinder so as to
become immersed in the quicksilver, when the case or trough is charged there-
with, the purpose of thus arranging the said cover and rendering it air-tight
being to keep the several compartments hereafter described perfectly distinct and
separate from each other, and at the same time to allow the endless travelling
band to pass freely over the same as the cylinder revolves, as above stated.
The purpose of the before-mentioned revolving band is to conduct the particles
of the precious metal (as they are fed into the apparatus in a pulverized. state)
into and through the quicksilver, and then to discharge them at the opposite
part of the apparatus to that at which they were fed in, by the force of a
stream of clear water, introduced into a compartment formed (in the aforesaid
case or trough) for its reception.
Secondly, in the use and employment of a series of small spheres of copper
amalgamated with quicksilver, and of iron, some of which I place upon
the surface of the quicksilver at that part of the apparatus where the
particles are removed from the surface of the aforesaid elastic band, and
other of the said spheres I place upon a perforated plate of metal, fixed
to the sides of the before-mentioned case or trough, said perforated plate
forming the bottom of another compartiment, into which the sand passes after
it is separated from the quicksilver, and from which it is discharged by a
suitable opening; and there is a cock attached to a pipe leading into the
bottom of that part of the case or trough containing the quicksilver, for drawing
off at stated intervals of time the amalgamated precious metal, to be after-
wards subjected to the well-known process of separation, which may be effected
in the manner usually practised.
The third feature of novelty is the use and employment of a vertical
partition, fixed across that part of the before-mentioned case or trough
at which the precious metal is fed in, said partition being composed of a
piece of finely perforated metal in combination with any woven or felted
fabric adapted for the purpose of filtration, thereby forming another com-
partment, into which water is admitted, as also the precious metal to be
operated upon, the water as it passes through the aforesaid filtering par-
tition being discharged through a suitable opening in the case or trough. I
would observe. that the above-mentioned form of construction of apparatus
only applies to the amalgamating of precious metals by the wet process; the

page_text: arrangement of the apparatus for amalgamating by the dry process being as
follows: The compartments and filtering partition before referred to are dis-
pensed with, and the following arrangement employed, that is to say-Instead
of leaving the top of the case or trough open, as for the wet process, I entirely
close it, and place a hopper at the feeding end of the apparatus; and at the
opposite or discharging end thereof, and within the case or trough of the
apparatus, I place a rotating brush, the periphery of which is in close contact
with the surface of the before-mentioned endless elastic travelling band, the
purpose of said brush being to remove the particles which adhere to that part
of the surface of the elastic band which is above the level of the surface of
the quicksilver, and after the said band has passed through the same. The
particles thus removed are discharged through an opening in the case or trough,
and pass into another apparatus connected thereto, and constructed according
to a former Invention, for which Letters Patent, bearing date the 8th day. of
July 1853, No. 1625, were granted unto me, the said Louis Cornides, excepting
that for the purposes of this present Invention I dispense with the lining of the
apparatus with sheet copper, as also the copper fans, described in the Specifi-
cation of the said Invention, and leave the surface of the iron exposed instead
of covering the same, as above stated. I also propose, for the purposes of
this present Invention, employing the before-mentioned spheres of copper and
iron, and placing them upon the perforated false bottom of the apparatus above
referred to, and described in the Specification of the said former Invention.
In other respects the general arrangement of the apparatus and mode of
operating therewith are substantially as set forth and described in the aforesaid
Specification.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Cornides in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
CORNIDES, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing late the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Louis Cornides, Her special licence that I, the said Louis Cornides, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis
Cornides, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
terni therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
AMALGAMATING THE GOLD AND SILVER CONTAINED IN PULVERIZED ORES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Lonis Cornides, by an instru
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should. particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Cornides, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists of a novel and peculiar mechanical arrangement and
combination of parts, constituting an apparatus designed for the purpose of
effecting in a more simple and efficient manner than heretofore the well-
known process of amalgamating gold and silver, either by the dry process or the
wet process; such newly invented method of amalgamation being effected by
ineans of a machine or apparatus in which a gutta percha band passes over
rollers or a cylinder through quicksilver, so that finely pulverized metalliferous
ore is carried along between the surface of the band and the quicksilver, and
brought in contact therewith under pressure.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe. the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal and vertical section of an apparatus constructed
according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse and vertical section
through the line A, B, at Figure 1. At each of the foregoing Figures I
employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far as
such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
A, A, is a metal case or trough, the lower part of which is of the same

page_text: curvature as the hollow cylinder B, which revolves therein upon an axis C, to
which it is securely fixed; the journals of such said axis work in tight bearings
or stuffing boxes D, affixed to the sides of the case A, as at Figure 3; E is a
curved cover, fixed tight to the sides of the case A, and with its ends below.
the centre of the cylinder, for the purpose before stated; F is an endless band
of gutta percha or other suitable flexible substance, placed around the lower
part of the cylinder B, and over the curved cover E, of such substance and
length as to be self-supporting, and to traverse freely over such cover without
touching the same; G is a finely perforated metal partition, the ends and
bottom whereof are fixed tight to the case or trough A; g is a piece of woven
or felted fabric, adapted for the purpose of filtration, placed against the afore-
said perforated partition G; H are small spheres of copper and of iron; or
said spheres may be of gold and silver amalgamated with quicksilver; these I
place upon the surface of the quicksilver at that part of the apparatus where
the particles of precious metal are collected. I is a curved plate of metal,
fixed tight to the sides of the case or trough A, thereby forming another com-
partment, into which a stream of clear. water is admitted for discharging the
amalgamated ore from the apparatus, in the manner herein-after stated. K is
another perforated plate of metal, securely fixed to the sides and ends of the
case or trough A, and to the partition plate I; upon this last-mentioned
perforated plate I place other copper and iron or gold and silver balls, similar
to those before mentioned, and marked H at Figure 1. L, M, are outlets for
water; and N is an outlet for drawing off the amalgamated precious metal.
The mode of operating by the wet process with an apparatus constructed as
above is as follows. The several parts of the apparatus above described
as fastened tight, are so tight as not to admit of the passage of quicksilver or
water.
MODE OF OPERATING.
Supposing the case A to be charged with quicksilver up to the level a, a.
Finely pulverized metalliferous ore, mixed in water in such proportions as are
found convenient with reference to the nature of the ore to be operated upon,
is allowed to flow into the compartment X; the outlet of L being open, the
water passes off through the filter partition G at the same time. The cylinder
B is put in motion, and as it rotates, the pressure of the quicksilver against
the excentric endless band F causes said band to be carried round with the
cylinder, and thus the pulverized ore as it sinks to the bottom of compart-
ment X is drawn in, and passed between the band and the quicksilver in
contact therewith; and as the band descends, the ore is subjected to the
pressure of the quicksilver in proportion to the vertical depth thereof, and

page_text: the ore, being then carried up with the band, is washed therefrom by the force
of a stream of clear water introduced into the compartment Y through the
opening b. The balls H upon the surface of the quicksilver, and those upon
the perforated plate K, forming the bottom of the compartment Z, arrest and
secure whatever quicksilver and precious metal amalgamated therewith may
be held in suspension by the water.
Thus it will be seen that so long as the cylinder B is kept in motion, the
band F will be continuously conducting the metalliferous ore into and through
the quicksilver; the operator drawing off by the outlet N at stated intervals
of time, according to the quantity of the pulverized ore operated upon), the
amalgamated quicksilver with the precious metal therein, which is afterwards
subjected to the ordinary process of separation in the manner usually practised.
If necessary, the band F is carried over the rollers, as shewn by the red lines,
placed above the machine, instead of being near the curved cover E; and then
the partition I will also be placed as shewn by the red line. The arrangement
of the apparatus for amalgamating by the dry process is as follows:-The
compartments and filtering partition herein-before referred to are dispensed
with, and the following arrangement employed; that is to say, instead of
leaving the top of the case or trough open, as for the wet process, I entirely
close it, and place a hopper at the compartment X; and at the opposite or
discharging compartment thereof, and within the same, I place a rotating
brush, the periphery of which is in close contact with the surface of the before-
mentioned endless travelling band; the use of such said brush being to
remove the particles which adhere to that part of the surface of the band
which is above the level of the surface of the quicksilver, and after the said
band has passed through the same. The particles thus removed are discharged
through an opening in the case or trough, and pass into another apparatus
connected thereto, and constructed according to a former Invention, for which
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three, No. 1625, were granted unto me, the said Louis
Cornides, excepting that for the purposes of this present 'Invention I dispense
with the lining of the apparatus with sheet copper, as also the copper fans,
described in the Specification of the said Invention, and leave the surface of
the iron exposed, instead of covering the same, as above stated. I also propose,
for the purpose of this present Invention, employing the before-mentioned
spheres of copper and iron, and placing them upon the perforated false bottom
of the apparatus above referred to, and described in the Specification of
the said former Invention. In other respects the general arrangement of the
apparatus, and mode of operating therewith, are substantially as set forth and

page_text: described in the aforesaid Specification. I also propose in some instances to
dispense with the endless band F and with the cover E, and to employ the
surface of the cylinder itself, for the purpose of drawing the metalliferous ore
between the cylinder and the quicksilver; and the stream of water in the wet
process, or the brush used in the dry process, is then applied direct to the
cylinder.
In order to keep the quicksilver at a uniform level, the apparatus is fed
therewith from a reservoir, from which the flow of the quicksilver is regulated
by the means ordinarily used for such purpose.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of an
Improved Apparatus for Amalgamating the Gold and Silver contained in Pul-
verized Ores," and in what manner the same is to be and may be performed, I
would remark, in conclusion, that what I claim as my Invention is, the novel
principle of drawing pulverized metalliferous ore in a thin stratum between
quicksilver and a surface moving or rotating in such quicksilver, and thereby
subjecting such ore to the pressure of the quicksilver proportionate to the
depth thereof, and thus amalgamating the metal in such ore with such quick-
silver; and I also claim as my Invention, the several forms of apparatus or
machines above particularly described and represented; and although I have
above set forth and claim particular forms of the machines for the practical
application of the said principle, yet I desire it to be distinctly understood that
I do not intend to limit or confine myself to the precise forms of the machines
above described and represented by the Drawings, but reserve to myself such
variations of form and construction of the parts thereof as experience may
suggest, and the nature of each particular character of ore to be operated
upon may require, so long as the peculiar principle of my said Invention is
preserved.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Cornides, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square.
LOUIS. CORNIDES. (L.S.)