Improvements in Machinery for Crushing or Reducing and Amalga- mating Auriferous Quartz or Ores and for Crushing or Reducing other Materials.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Crushing or Reducing and Amalga-
mating Auriferous Quartz or Ores and for Crushing or Reducing
other Materials.
I PERCY RICHARDSON SHILL of 37 Worlingham Road East Dulwich in the County
of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to machinery for crushing or reducing and amalgamating
auriferous quartz or ores and for crushing or reducing other materials such for example
as cement.
The Invention relates to the class of machines in which the crushing or reducing
action is obtained by means of balls or spheres working in annular races.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved arrangement and
combination of the parts of such machines whereby the construction is simplified
and the machine is rendered more efficient in action. When the machine is used
for crushing gold bearing quartz or auriferous rock or minerals I preferably provide
the machine with means for amalgamating the pulp in the same machine as herein-
after described.
I will describe the invention as arranged for crushing or reducing and amalga-
mating gold quartz or ores from which its general application for crushing grinding
or reducing other materials will also be readily understood.
The machine is driven by any suitable gearing but preforably by a bevel wheel or
pinion on a shaft which bevel wheel gears into two bevel wheels the lower one of
which is fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft having connected to it and driving
a top race bearing on a series of crushing balls. The other bevel wheel is fixed on
the lower end of a sleeve working on the aforesaid vertical shaft. This sleeve has
connected to it and drives a bottom race for the said series of balls. To this race is
secured a top race for a lower series of crushing balls so that the last named race is
also driven by the said sleeve. The lower series of balls works on a stationary
annular race of larger diameter than the race of the upper series of balls so that the
material discharged from the outside of the upper series can be conducted by the
combined action of gravitation and centrifugal force to the inward side of the lower
sories of balls.
The vertical shaft is provided with a feather which engages loosely with a key way
or groove in a boss provided with radial arms connected to the top race of the upper
series of balls and the bottom race of the upper series of balls and the top race of the
lower series of balls are similarly driven by a feather on the sleeve engaging with a
boss carrying arms connected to the bottom race of the upper series of balls. By
these means the three uppermost races are allowed a certain freedom of vertical
motion by sliding upon the shaft and sleeve an elastic or compressible washer or
spring being interposed between the boss of the top race of the upper series of balls
and a nut or stop on the end of the vertical shaft. The bevel wheels being driven by
the pinion situated between them rotate in opposite directions so that as the lower
wheel drives the shaft and the top race of the upper series of balls in one direction
the lower race of the upper series of balls and the top race of the lower series of
balls are driven in the opposite direction by means of the sleeve and the upper wheel.
The bottom race of the upper series of balls is preferably made separately from the
top race of the lower series of balls the bottom race of the upper series of balls being
provided with a turned rim fitting into an annular projection on the top race of the
lower series of balls in which race it is fixed by a key or keys. The bottom race of
the lower series of balls is stationary it consisting of a ring supported by an annular

page_text: main frame cast with arms radiating from a central boss forming a bearing for the
sleeve which in turn forms the bearing in which the vertical shaft rotates. A pipe is
carried up through the frame formed by these arms for the purpose of supplying a
regulated quantity of water to the material being acted upon before it passes under
the lower series of balls. The outer edge of the bottom race of the upper series of
balls is surrounded by an annular casing inclining inwards and upwards which
casing directs the materials downwards and causes them to pass through openings or
spaces between arms connecting the bottom race of the upper series of balls to the
top race of the lower series of balls. Any material caught by and tending to
accumulate on these arms is knocked off by fingers attached to the top race of the
upper series of balls.
The bottom race of the lower series of balls is surrounded by an annular amalga-
mating trough containing quicksilver and having running therein cylindrical rollers
rotating in frames carried by the rovolving top race of the lower series of balls so
that the said rollers move round with this race and travel in the amalgamating
trough. The inner side of the said amalgamating trough is formed by the
outer side or lip of the bottom race of the lower series of balls and the outer
side of the said trough is made of a height sufficient to retain the materials
with a wide opening at one side through which the material can overflow
after being acted on by the rollers and the quicksilver in the trough. This
opening is provided with a screen or sieve of wire gauze and communicates with a
shute or receptacle in which any particles of gold that may have escaped the action
of the amalgamater can be collected in the usual way.
The vertical driving shaft is suspended by a nut on its upper extremity bearing on
the compressible washer or spring supported by the top race which is supported on
the upper series of balls. The sleeve is supported by a hollow distance piece forming
a receptacle for oil and resting on the boss of the bevel wheel fixed on the lower
extremity of the vertical shaft. The upper series of balls consequently receives the
pressure due to the weight of the shaft and parts connected therewith. The same pressure
with the addition of the weight of the upper balls and of the two middle races is
transmitted to the lower series of balls which consequently works under a pressure
considerably greater than that under which the upper series of balls works and the
amount of pressure on both series of balls can be regulated by adjusting the nut.
The material to be operated upon (being previously if necessary reduced to small
fragments) is introduced into a central hopper on the top race and falls on to the boss
or central part of the plate carrying the bottom race of the upper series of balls.
The rotary motion of this plate causes the material to move outwards and to pass
under the balls of the upper series when it undergoes a certain amount of grinding
or reducing and gradually works out over the outer edge or lip of the race of the
upper series of balls into the annular casing the material falling therefrom between
the arms into an annular trough or receptacle inside the lower series of balls the said
trough or receptacle presenting an inclined surface which acting in combination with
the water supplied at this part of the apparatus causes the partially reduced material
to pass under the balls of the lower series by which the reducing and pulping of the
said material is completed. The thickness or consistency of the pulp or mud thus
produced can be regulated by adjusting the quantity of water supplied. The said
pulp or mud as it accumulates overflows the outer edge or lip of the lowermost race
and passes into the amalgamating trough the bottom of which is constructed with
an annular plate supporting the rollers which are carried round with the top race of
the lower series of balls the ends of the spindles in which the said rollers rotate
preferably engaging with slots in the roller frames in order to allow the said top race
to move vertically without lifting the rollers. An additional supply of water may
be introduced into the pulp in the amalgamating trough in order to render it
sufficiently fluid to pass through the gauze screen or sieve.
It will be evident that I may if desired use the top series of balls with the races
above and below it driven in opposite directions without the lower series of balls and

page_text: races in which case if the amalgamating trough be used it can be fixed outsido thr
lower race of the upper series of balls and the roller frames can be fixed to the uppee
race of the said series.
Dated this 10th day of December 1888.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Crushing or Reducing and Amalga-
mating Auriferous Quartz or Ores and for Crushing or Reducing
other Materials.
I PERCY RICHARDSON SHILL of 37 Worlingham Road East Dulwich in the County
of Surrey 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 :-
My Invention relates to machinery for crushing or reducing and amalgamating
auriferous quartz or ores and for crushing or reducing other materials such for example
as cement.
The Invention relates to the class of machines in. which the crushing or reducing
action is obtained by means of balls or spheres working in annular races.
The present Invention has for its object to provide an improved arrangement and
combination of the parts of such machines whereby the construction is simplified
and the machine is rendered more efficient in action when the machine is used for
crushing gold bearing quartz auriferous rock or minerals or other hard materials.
When pulverizing auriferous matter I preferably provide the machine with means
for amalgamating the pulp in the same machine as hereinafter described.
I will describe the Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings as
arranged for crushing or reducing and amalgamating gold quartz or ores from which
its general application for crushing grinding or reducing other materials will also be
readily understood.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in vertical section a crushing
and amalgamating machine constructed according to my Invention and Figure 2
represents the machine in half plan the race of the upper series of balls being
reinoved this race and series of balls being represented separately in half plan in
Figure 3.
The machine is driven by any suitable gearing but preferably by a bevel wheel
or pinion A on a shaft a which bevel wheel gears into two bevel wheels B and C the
lower one B of which is fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft D having connected
to it and driving a top race E bearing on a series of crushing balls G. The other
bevel wheel (C) is fixed on the lower end of a sleeve H working on the aforesaid
vertical shaft D. This sleeve H has connected to it and drives the bottom race I of
the series of balls G. To this race I is secured the top race K of the lower series of
crushing balls MI so that the said race K is also driven by the said sleeve H. The
said series of balls M is situated at a lower level than that of the upper series G and
works on a stationary annular race L of larger diameter than the race of the upper
series of balls G so that the material discharged from the outside of the upper series
can be conducted by the combined action of gravitation and centrifugal force to the
inward side of the lower series of balls M.
The vertical shaft D is provided with a feather d which engages loosely with a key
way or groove in a boss provided with radial arms e connected to the top race E of
the upper series of balls G and the bottom race I of the upper series of balls G and
the top race K of the lower series of balls M are similarly driven by feathers / on
the sleeve H engaging with a boss 2 carrying arms connected to the bottom race I
of the upper series of balls. By these means the races E, I, and K are allowed a
certain freedom of vertical motion by sliding upon the shaft D and on the sleeve H

page_text: an elastic or compressible washer or spring O being interposed between the boss e²
of the top race E of the upper series of balls and a nut d³ or stop on the end of the
vertical shaft. The bevel wheels B and C being driven by the pinion situated
between them rotate in opposite directions so that as the lower wheel B drives the
shaft D and the top race E of the upper series of balls in one direction the lower
race I of the upper series of balls and the top race of the lower series of balls are
driven in the opposite direction by means of the sleeve H and the upper wheel C-
The upward lips of the lower races I and L should extend upwards to or a little
beyond the plane of the centre of the balls whilst the inner lips of the upper races E
and K should extend downwards as nearly as practicable to the same planes the
latter lips keeping the balls well up to their work whilst the upwardly turned
lips of the lower races when arranged as described present a bearing surface in a
line with the lines of greatest force of the balls due to the combined influence of
gravity and centrifugal force.-The outer lips of the upper race should not extend
down far enough to interfere with the proper bearing of the balls on the grinding
surface constituted by the outer lips of the lower races.-The bottom race I of the
upper series of balls is preferably made separately from the top race K of the lower
series of balls the race I being provided with a rim n fitting inside an annular
projection p on the race K in which it is fixed by a key or keys 3. The bottom
race of the lower series of balls is stationary it consisting of a ring L supported by
an annular main frame P cast with arms radiating from a central boss forming a
bearing for the sleeve H which in turn forms the bearing in which the vertical
shaft D rotates. A pipe a² is carried up through the side of the annular frame P
carried by these arms the pipe being for the purpose of supplying a regulated quantity of
water to the material being acted upon before it passes under the lower series of
balls. The outer edge of the bottom race I of the upper series of balls is surrounded
by an annular casing Q inclining inwards and upwards which casing directs the
materials downwards and causes them to pass through openings or spaces between
arms Figure 2 connecting the said race I to the top race K of the lower series of
balls. Any material caught by and tending to accumulate on these arms is
knocked off by a finger or fingers c attached to the top race of the upper series of
balls.
The bottom race of the lower series of balls is surrounded by an annular amalga-
mating trough R containing in the part » quicksilver and having running upon the
roller path V cylindrical rollers S rotating in frames s carried by the revolving top
race of the lower series of balls so that the said rollers S move round with this race
and travel with the amalgamating trough R the quicksilver should be confined to the
space so as not to get under the rollers S-The inner side of the said amalga-
mating trough R is formed by the outer side or lip of the bottom race L of the
lower series of balls and the outer side of the said trough is made of a height
sufficient to retain the materials with a wide opening at one side (at R³ Figure 2)
through which the material can overflow after being acted on by the rollers S and the
quicksilver in the trough R-This opening R' is provided with a screen or sieve of
wire gauze and communicates with a shute or receptacle in which any particles of
gold that may have escaped the action of the amalgamater can be-collected in the
usual way.
The vertical driving shaft D is suspended by a nut on its upper extremity
bearing on the compressible washer or spring O supported by the top race E
which is supported on the upper series of balls G. The sleeve H is supported by a
hollow distance piece T forming a receptacle for oil and resting on the boss of the
bevel wheel B fixed on the lower extremity of the vertical shaft D. The upper series
of balls G consequently receives the pressure due to the weight of the shaft and
parts connected therewith. The same pressure with the addition of the weight of the
upper balls and of the races L and K is transmitted to the lower series of balls M
which consequently works under a pressure considerably greater than that under
which the upper series of balls G works and the amount of pressure on both series
of balls can be regulated by adjusting the nut d³.

page_text: The material to be operated upon (being previously if necessary reduced to small
fragments) is introduced into a central hopper U on the top race E and falls on to
the boss or central part of the plate i carrying the bottom race of the upper sories
of balls G. The rotary motion of this plate causes the material to move outwards
and to pass under the balls G of the upper series where it undergoes a certain amount
of grinding or reducing and gradually works out over the outer edge or lip of
the race I of the upper series of balls into the annular casing Q the material falling
therefrom between the arms & into an annular trough or receptacle inside the lower
series of balls the said trough or receptacle presenting an inclined surface which
acting in combination with the water supplied at this part of the apparatus by the
pipe a causes the partially reduced material to pass under the balls M of the lower
series by which the reducing and pulping of the said material is completed. The
thickness or consistency of the pulp or mud thus produced can bo regulated by
adjusting the quantity of water supplied through the pipe a³.
The said pulp or mud as it accumulates overflows the outer edge or lip 2 of the
lowermost race and passes into the amalgamating trough R the bottom of which is
constructed with an annular plate V supporting the rollers S which are carried round
with the top race K of the lower series of balls the ends of the spindles on which
the said rollers rotate preferably engaging with slots in the roller frames s in order
to allow the said top race to move vertically without lifting the rollers S. An additional
supply of water may be introduced into the pulp in the amalgamating trough in order
to render it sufficiently fluid to pass through the gauze screen or sieve 12.
It will be evident that I may if desired use the top series of balls with the races
above and below it driven in opposite directions without the lower series of balls and
races in which case if the amalgamating trough be used it and the roller race V
can be fixed to the frame outside the lower race of the upper series of balls I and the
roller frames s can be fixed to the upper race E of the said series.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In machines for crushing or reducing materials a series of balls or spheres
arranged between two races in combination with means for driving the two races in
opposite directions as hereinbefore described with reference to the races E. I. and
balls G.
2. In machines for crushing or reducing auriferous quartz or other substances or
materials a series of balls or spheres placed between annular races in combination
with a series of balls or spheres placed between races and situated at a lower level
and outwardly of the first named series and with passages so arranged that the
material which has been acted upon by the first series of balls passes downwards and
outwards to the other series of balls to be acted upon thereby for being further
reduced and is then discharged outwardly therefrom substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a frame of the Shaft D carrying the race E and the
sleeve H carrying the races I and K the fixed race L and the two series of balls G
and M. and means for driving the said shaft and sleeve substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with grinding or reducing machines of the kind referred to
of an amalgamating trough R and runners S substantially as hereinbefore explained.
5. The combination of the shaft D sleeve H races E. I. K and L balls G and M,
means for driving the shaft and sleeve and openings or passages and guides so
arranged as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that
the material acted upon by the balls G is passed, by the action of the machine, out-
wardly to the balls M and therefrom outwardly either direct to the discharge, or first
into the amalgamating trough R.
6. In machines of the kind described the combination with the race Land balls M
of the races K and 1 secured to the sleeve H to be vertically moveable thereon, the

page_text: balls G, and the race secured to the shaft D so as to be vertically moveable thereon
and the spring O all substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
7. The arrangement and combination of parts as a whole constituting the machine
for grinding or reducing materials substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings whether the attachment for amalgamating
be combined therewith or not.
Dated this 28th day of Act 1940