Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores.
I, HERBERT HARRISON WALLACE of 3 Saint John's Terrace Colchester in the
County of Essex, Gold Mining Specialist or Expert do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
A machine for the more perfect separation of ores or sands of different specific
gravities, & where such ores or sands contain gold, for the more perfect amalgamation
of the same with mercury.
And the description of the above machine is as follows-
On a revolving vertical shaft at a height of say two feet from its base is fixed a
feed hopper with a side spout of say six inches in length, the said feed hopper
being made of th inch sheet iron or other suitable material & capable of containing
say (20) twenty to (30) thirty pounds weight of material. Immediately below this
hopper & fixed to the same shaft is a light ironwork frame extending for say forty (40)
inches from the said shaft in all directions to its circumference but falling below
the level of its centre as it extends to its circumference so that the edge or base of
the circumference of the frame is say seven inches lower than at the centre of same
at the shaft.
The above-mentioned shaft is attached to a horizontal cog-wheel at its base,
which is turned by a vertical cog-wheel the axle-shaft of which extends outside
the machine & is worked by means of a small pulley or hand handle.
Below the said revolving hopper & frame at a distance of say three (3) inches is
a peripherry of sheet iron or copper or silver-plated copper; the said peripherry
has a circular opening at its upper edge of say six (6) inches in diameter, through
which opening passes (independantly of the peripherry) the axle shaft carrying the
frame & hopper; this peripherry falls from its centre opening to the base of its
circumference say five (5) inches & measures say three (3) feet from the centre
opening to its base, this base or edge being (when the machine is fixed) say one inch
below & say one (1) inch inside of the base or edge of the revolving ironwork frame.
Through the centre opening of the peripherry a one (1) inch water-pipe is raised &
bent all round the collar of the peripherry & perforated every inch so as to feed
water regularly & simultaneously all round the upper surface of the peripherry
say (2) two inches from its central edge.
Four circular troughs made of thin sheet iron or any suitable material are placed,
one directly under the edge of the peripherry, & the other three immediately outside
of this consecutively.
Three trays say two (2) feet wide each are made so as to hang on to the iron frame
at any point desired the inner edges of which revolve under the base or edge of the
peripherry while their outer edges overlap each one of the circular troughs.
And the manner of working or proceedure with the above mentioned machine is
as follows:-
The ore or sand is fed into the slowly revolving hopper & thence through its
spout on to the upper surface of the peripherry & progressively round the same;
the water from the circular pipe now washes the sands or ores down the sloping
surface of the peripherry, those of the least specific gravity reaching the edge of
the peripherry first, & pass over the longest revolving tray which is set on the
revolving frame at a distance behind the outpouring spout timed to meet these
light sands & carry them into the farthest trough, whence water carries them where
required.
The sands or ores of next specific gravity naturally reach the edge next &

page_text: pass over the tray 2nd in length which is set to meet them & carry them into
the outer trough but one, whence water carries them to where required; should
there be two more sands or ores of greater & different specific gravities than
either of the proceeding the shortest tray should be called into use as above to
carry the lightest of these two last ores into the outer trough but two, & the
heaviest ores will drop of themselves off the edge of the peripherry into the inner
trough.
The number of trays & troughs is thus regulated by the number of ores or sands to
be separated.
When gold is present in the sands or ores the peripherry is to be made of
copper or silver plated copper & amalgamated with mercury to catch the said
gold.
H. H. WALLACE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores.
I, ALEXANDER WALLACE of No. 3 Saint John's Terrace, Colchester in the
County of Essex, Physician (M.D. Oxon. M.R.C.P. London) the sole Executor
named in the Will (dated the 12th day of February 1892,) of Herbert Harrison
Wallace late of No. 3, Saint John's Terrace, Colchester aforesaid, Gold Mining
Specialist or Expert, deceased 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:-
It is a machine for the more perfect separation of ores or sands of different
specific gravities, and where such ores or sands contain gold, for the more perfect
amalgamation of the same with mercury. And the description of the above-named
machine is as follows:-
On a revolving vertical shaft at a height of say (2) two feet from its base, is
fixed a feed-hopper with a side spout or spouts of say six inches in length,
the said feed-hopper being made of th inch sheet iron, or other suitable material,
and capable of containing say (20) twenty to (30) thirty pounds weight of
material.
Immediately below this hopper, and fixed to the same shaft, is a light ironwork
frame extending for say (40) forty inches from the said shaft radially to its circum-
ference, so that the edge or base of the circumference of the frame is say seven
inches lower than the centre of the same, at the shaft.
To the above-mentioned shaft at its base is attached a horizontal cog-wheel,
which is turned by a vertical cog-wheel, the axle-shaft of which extends outside the
machine and is worked by means of a small pulley or crank-handle to actuate the
wheel-gearing and rotate the hopper and frame.
Below the said revolving-hopper and frame at a distance of say (3) three inches, is
a periphery of sheet iron or copper or silver-plated copper; the said periphery has
a circular opening, at the apex or upper edge, of say (6) six inches in diameter,
through which opening passes (independently of the periphery) the axle-shaft carrying
the frame and hopper. This periphery falls from its centre opening to the base
of its circumference say five (5) inches, and measures say three (3) feet from the
centre opening, to its base: this base or edge being (when the machine is fixed)
say one inch below and say one inch inside of the base or edge of the revolving
ironwork frame.
Through the centre opening of the periphery a one (1) inch diameter waterpipe
is raised and bent round the collar of the periphery and perforated at every inch so
as to feed water regularly and simultaneously all round the upper surface of the
..periphery say two (2) inches from its central edge.
Two or more circular troughs made of thin sheet iron or other suitable material

page_text: are placed, one directly under the edge of the periphery, and the other or others
immediately outside of this, consecutively.
One or more trays of different lengths say two (2) feet wide each, are made so as
to hang on to the iron frame at any point desired the inner edges of which revolve
under the base or edge of the periphery, while their outer edges overlap each one
of the circular troughs. And the manner of working, or proceedure, with the
above mentioned machine is as follows-The ore or sand fed into the slowly-
revolving hopper, passing thence through its spout or spouts on to the upper
surface of the periphery, and progressively round the same, the water from the
circular pipe now washes the sands or ores down the sloping surface of the
periphery, those of the least specific gravity reach the edge of the periphery first,
and pass over the longest tray, which is set on the revolving frame, at a distance
behind the out-pouring spout timed to meet these light sands, and carry them into
the farthest trough, whence water carries them where required.
The sands or ores of the next specific gravity naturally reach the edge next, and
pass over the tray second in length, which is set to meet them and carry them
into the next or outer trough but one, whence water carries them also where
required.
Should there be two more sands or ores left of different specific gravities, and of
greater specific gravity, than the two already disposed of, the shortest tray should
be called into use, as already described, to carry off the lightest in weight of these
two last ores, into the outermost trough but two-and the heaviest ores will drop of
themselves from the edge of the periphery into the inner trough.
The number of trays and troughs is thus regulated by the number of ores or
sands to be separated.
When gold is present in the sands or ores, the periphery is to be made of copper
or silver-plated copper and amalgamated with mercury to catch the said gold.
The ore is fed direct from the battery or batteries by the usual troughs into the
slowly revolving hopper a and thence through its spouts b b on to the upper surface
of the periphery C and progressively round the same. The constant flow of water
from the circular pipe H now washes the sands down the sloping surface of the
periphery C. those of the least specific gravity reaching the edge of the periphery
first, and passing over the tray E which is set on the revolving frame d at a distance,
behind the outpouring spout b, so timed, as to meet these light sands and carry them
over the inner trough into the outer trough F.
The heavier sands or concentrates will reach the edge of the periphery C. almost
as soon as the tray E has passed, and will fall off the edge of C into the inner
trough G.
The machine should be run just as fast as is allowed by the concentrates or heavier
ores clearing themselves before the next tray comes round.

page_text: The light sands should afterwards be run over blankets on riffles, as there will
be some drops of mercury falling on to the tray from the edge of the periphery-or
this might be obviated by a riffle in the tray itself.
It will be noticed that the troughs at one end or side of the machine are only
three inches deep, while at their outflow they are some 12 inches deep. This serves
two purposes; one that the troughs will clear themselves by the fall, and the other
- that the working parts of the machine and the water pipe have a natural ingress
and so it saves room.
The simple principle of the machine as a concentrator is derived from the fact
that if a few pounds of mixed sands are thrown on to a sloping smooth surface, such
as the ordinary amalgamating table or plate, and clear water is turned on to the
plate the natural result is that the sands will be washed down the plate and the
lighter sands reach the bottom of the plate more quickly than any heavier sand,
such as are known as concentrates: In fact if the plate be of any length, a very
distinct interval will occur between the disappearance of the first sands and the
arrival of the heavier sands at the bottom of the plate.
Now suppose some one held a bowl and caught the light sand as it came off the
plate, taking the bowl away as soon as all the light sand had passed allowing
the heavier sand to fall into another bowl he would have a perfect separation of
the sand originally thrown down on the surface of the plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion of my said son Herbert Harrison Wallace the testator, and in what manner the
same is to be performed: I declare that what I claim is :-
a. That by this invention, a simple natural and effectual process of separating sands
or ores of different specific gravities by means of a downward and equal current of
water acting on a circular sloping surface or periphery is effectually carried out, by
one process and by one machine, and that these sands or ores when thus treated can
be perfectly separated b and collected; and that this is the novelty claimed for this
invention, as applied to mining and other purposes: viz., that sands or ores of
different specific gravities, when wetted are thus completely separated by one
process, and by one machine, instead of, as at present being dried first, and secondly
separated, when dry, by another process.
Dated this 1st (First) day of September 1892.
ALEXANDER WALLACE.