IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AMALGAMATING, MIXING, AND GRINDING SUBSTANCES TOGETHER
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles James Wallis, of Clarendon Cham-
bers, Hand Court, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer and Mechanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AMALGAMATING, MIXING, AND
GRINDING SUBSTANCES TOGETHER."
Sealed the 10th June 1853, and dated the 15th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles James
Wallis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th December 1852.
I, the above-named CHARLES JAMES WALLIS, hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
AMALGAMATING, MIXING, AND GRINDING SUBSTANCES TOGETHER" to be as
follows (that is to say):-
My said Invention consists of the application of balls, spheres,
or wheels revolving or working in grooves or channels, for the
purpose of amalgamating, mixing, or grinding together various sub-
stances, such as powdered quartz or ore containing gold or silver
with quicksilver, pigments with oils, or other substances, whether
wet or dry, which require to be intimately amalgamated, mixed,

page_text: or ground together. I give motion to the balls, spheres, or wheels
by placing them between two circular tables, plates, or discs, and
giving rotary motion to one or both of the tables, between
which the balls, spheres, or wheels are pressed, onc or both of
the tables being furnished with an annular groove or annular
grooves, in which the balls, spheres, or wheels may revolve or work.
I place the tables of my improved machines in a horizontal po.
sition, and the lower or lowest table (which I call the foundation
table) I prefer to fix firmly upon the ground, or upon a suffi-
ciently strong support to make it immoveable. Upon the upper side
of the foundation table I make an annular groove, or annular
grooves, in which the balls or spheres are to revolve or work,
and a hopper in the centre of the table, through which the material
which has been operated upon may pass from the machine. The
groove or grooves should be made of a proper size or shape for re-
ceiving the balls or spheres, and also holding or containing the mate-
rial to be operated upon. In the groove, or each of the grooves, if
more than one, I place a number of balls, spheres, or wheels, usually
about six, regulating the number as well as the sizes of them, so that
there may be small spaces between them when working between the
tables. Upon the balls or spheres I then place another circular table
or plate, which I call the upper table, and which may either have it's
lower surface made flat, or with an annular groove or annular
grooves, in a similar manner as the upper side of the foundation
table, so as to receive the upper parts of the balls or spheres. The
groove or grooves (if any) on the lower side of the upper table
need not be made so deep as the groove or grooves in the foundation
table, but each of the upper grooves must be made concentric with
and in a circle of the same diameter as the corresponding groove
in the foundation plate, so as to enable the balls or spheres, during
the revolution of the upper table, to roll round or work in both the
upper and the lower grooves, between which they inay be placed.
I regulate the sizes of the balls or spheres, and the depth of the
grooves, so that there shall be a convenient space between the
a tbles. I fix an upright shaft, or round pillar, upon or over the

page_text: centre of the foundation table, and this pillar rises up through an
orifice in the centre of the upper table, so that the upper table may
revolve loosely upon the pillar. The upper table may have rotary
motion given to it in either direction by a bolt applied to it's
periphery, or any other convenient means, and as the upper table
rests upon the balls or spheres, the rotary motion of that table will
cause the balls or spheres to roll round in their grooves, and thus
operate upon the material placed in the groove or grooves of the
foundation table; and the upper table working loosely on the centre
shaft or pillar, will be enabled to rise or fall, and thus accommodate
itself to any inequalities of the material operated upon by the balls.
The material to be operated upon is to be placed in the groove
or grooves of the foundation table, and the periphery of the foun-
dation table being higher than the inner edge or inner edges of the
groove or grooves, the material, after being operated upon by the
balls or spheres, will pass over the inner edge or inner edges just
mentioned, into the hopper in the centre of the foundation table,
and thus pass from the machine.
The machine, as I have described it, is in it's most simple form,
consisting of only two tables, with balls, spheres, or wheels working
between them. The machine may, however, be made with three or
more tables, with balls, spheres, or wheels rotating or working be-
tween every two of the tables. Thus the second table may be fur-
nished with a groove or grooves on the upper side of it similar to
those on the upper side of the foundation table; and a third cir-
cular table, having it's under side constructed in a manner similar
to the under side of the second table, may then be placed upon the
balls or spheres which are above the second table; and still further
balls or spheres and tables may be added if required; and the
machine should be constructed so that the material to be ope-
rated upon shall be subjected to the action of the balls or spheres
upon each of the tables in succession, commencing with the upper
balls or spheres, and then passing down to those immediately below,
and so in succession, until the material shall fall out of the machine
at the bottom. And for this purpose I place a feeding hopper at

page_text: the top of the machine, for supplying the material to be operated
upon through the top of the upper table, causing the material, after
being operated upon by the first or upper series of balls, to pass
over the periphery of the table down to the table next below;
and after being operated upon by the balls or spheres of that
table, to pass through the centre of that table down to the table
next below or out of the machine (as the case may be), and so
causing the material to be subjected to the action of each of the
series of balls, spheres, or wheels of the machine, and making the
inner or the outer edges of the grooves of the several tables alter-
nately higher and lower, for the purpose of effecting this object.
When a machine is furnished with three or more circular tables,
they may each (if desired) be made to revolve, each being made to
revolve in a direction contrary to the revolving table next to it.
But it will generally be found sufficient to cause each alternate
table only to revolve, each revolving table being capable of commu-
nicating motion not only to the balls immediately below it, but also
to those immediately above it.
I deem it desirable to make each alternate ball (of a series
working in a groove) of a size slightly smaller than the others,
so that they may be moved by the larger balls, and not the re-
volving table; and I do this for the purpose of preventing any
tendency of the balls or spheres to rub against each other, or
impede the action of the machine.
If wheels be used, wholly or partially, instead of balls or spheres,
I mount them upon the ends of arms radiating from a ring or
collar working loosely round the centre shaft or pillar, and round
which the arms will be carried by the action of the revolving table
upon the wheels.
Balls or spheres may be kept apart from each other by being
perforated and mounted on the ends of radiating arms such as I
have mentioned.
These machines may be made of any required size, and of such
material as may be best adapted to the purposes for which they are
to be used. Cast iron I deem to be generally the most useful mate-

page_text: rial for making the tables. And I prefer to make the balls or spheres
hollow, and of a light, soft material, such as wood, gutta percha,
or wood covered with caoutchouc, leather, or gutta percha; and
they may also be made with their surfaces rough or serrated, so
as to assist in amalgamating, mixing, or grinding together the
inaterials operated upon. I also prefer to enclose the machine in a
case, with side doors or openings to afford access to the machine.
A inachine constructed in the manner I have described may be
used for amalgamating powdered quartz or ore containing gold or
silver with quicksilver, so as to enable the quicksilver to abstract
the gold or silver, and form an amalgam with it. For this pur-
pose quicksilver should be placed in the groove or grooves of the
tables, and the balls or spheres, as they roll round, will press the
powdered quartz or ore down into the quicksilver, which will
abstract and unite with any gold or silver in a metallic state
which may be contained in the powder. When the quicksilver
becoines saturated, it must be removed from the machine, and a
fresh supply placed in the groove or grooves.
This machine may also be used for amalgainating, mixing, or
grinding together white lead or any other pigment, and oil or tur-
pentine, or the materials for forming printers' ink.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Charles James Wallis in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 15th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES JAMES WALLIS, of Clarendon Chambers, Hand Court,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Me-
chanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the Fif-
teenth day of December, in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did
give and grant unto me, the said Charles James Wallis, my execu

page_text: tors, adininistrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege, and authority, that I, the said Charles James Wallis,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Charles James Wallis, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR AMALGAMATING, MIXING, AND GRINDING SUBSTANCES
TOGETHER," within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, during the term of
fourteen years next ensuing; in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso, requiring that I, the said Charles James Wallis,
shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and scal, 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 in part
recited Letters Patent, as, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I,
the said Charles James Wallis, do hereby declare that the nature of
my Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained in and by this present
Specification or instrument in writing, reference being had to the
several accompanying Drawings, and in which said several Draw-
ings similar parts are marked and referred to by similar letters or
Figures (that is to say):
My said Invention consists of the application of balls, spheres, or
wheels revolving or working in grooves or channels, for the pur-
pose of amalgamating, mixing, or grinding together various sub-
stances such as powdered quartz or ore containing gold or silver
with quicksilver, pigments with oils, or other substances with each
other which require to be intimately amalgamated, mixed, or
ground together. The balls, spheres, or wheels which I use for this
purpose I place between two circular tables, plates, or discs, one or
both of which are furnished with an annular groove or annular

page_text: grooves, in which the balls, spheres, or wheels rotate, and motion is
given to the balls, spheres, or wheels by causing one or both of the
tables, plates, or discs, between which the balls, spheres, or wheels
are pressed, to rotate. The tables of the machines are placed in a
horizontal position, and the lower or lowest table (which I call the
foundation table) I prefer to fix firmly upon the ground, or upon a
sufficiently strong foundation or support, so as to make it im-
movable. Upon the upper side of the foundation table is made an
annular groove or annular grooves, in which the balls, spheres, or
wheels are to revolve or work, for the purpose of amalgamating
mixing, and grinding together the substances to be operated upon;
and a hopper is also made in the centre of the same table, through
which substances which have been operated upon may pass from the
inachine. The groove or grooves should be made of a proper size or
shape for receiving the balls, spheres, or spherical wheels, and also
holding or containing the materials to be operated upon. In the
groove (or each of the grooves, if more than one) I place a number
of balls, spheres, or spherical wheels (usually about six), regulating
the number, as well as the sizes of them, so that there may be small
spaces between them, or between each pair of them, when revolving
or working between the tables. Upon the balls, spheres, or spheri-
cal wheels is placed another circular table, plate, or disc, which I
call the upper table, and which may either have its lower surface
made flat, or (which I prefer) with an annular groove or annular
grooves (in a similar manner as the upper side of the foundation
table), so as to receive the upper parts of the balls, spheres, or sphe.
rical wheels. The groove or grooves (if any) on the lower side of
the
upper table need not be made so deep as the groove or grooves in
the foundation table, but each of the upper grooves must be made
concentric with and in a circle of the same diameter as the corre-
sponding groove in the foundation table, so as to enable the balls,
spheres, or spherical wheels, during the revolution of the upper
table, to roll round or work both in the upper and the lower
grooves, between which they may be placed. The sizes of the balls
spheres, or spherical wheels, and the depth of the grooves, should be
regulated so that there may be a convenient space between the

page_text: tables. I fix an upright shaft or round pillar upon or over the
centre of the foundation table, and this pillar rises up through an
orifice in the centre of the upper table, so that the upper table may
revolve loosely upon or around the pillar. The upper table may
have rotary motion given to it (in either direction) by a belt
applied to its periphery, or by any other convenient means; and
as the upper table rests upon the balls, spheres, or spherical wheels,
the rotary motion of that table will cause the balls, spheres, or
wheels to roll round in their grooves, and thus operate upon the
material placed in the groove or grooves of the foundation table.
And the upper table, working loosely on or around the centre
shaft or pillar, will be enabled to rise or fall, and thus allow the
machine to accommodate itself to any inequalities of the materials
operated upon by the balls, spheres, or wheels. The material to be
operated upon is to be placed in the groove or grooves of the foun-
dation table, and the periphery of the foundation table being higher
than the inner edge or inner edges of the groove or grooves, the
material, after being operated upon by the balls or spheres, may be
allowed to pass over the inner edge or inner edges just mentioned
into the hopper in the centre of the foundation table, and thus pass
from the machine. The materials which have been acted upon by
the machine may, however, be removed from time to time in any
other convenient manner.
The machine as I have described it is in its most simple form,
consisting of only two tables, with balls, spheres, or wheels
working between them. The machine may, however, be made
with three or more tables, with balls, spheres, or wheels rotat
ing or working between every two of the tables. Thus the
second table may be furnished with a groove or grooves on the
upper side of it, similar to those on the upper side of the foundation
table, and a third circular table, having its under side constructed
in a manner similar to the under side of the second table, may then
be placed upon the balls, spheres, or wheels which are above the
second table; and still further balls, spheres, or wheels, and
tables may be added, if required; and the machine should be con-
structed so that the materials to be operated upon shall be subjected

page_text: to the action of the balls, spheres, or wheels upon each of the tables
in succession, commencing with the upper balls, spheres, or wheels,
and then passing down to those immediately below, and so in suc-
cession, until the material shall fall out of or be removed from the
machine at the bottom. And for this purpose, in such machine a
feeding hopper may be placed at the top of it for supplying the
materials to be operated upon through the top of the upper table on
to the table next below; the materials, after being operated upon by
the first or upper series of balls, spheres, or wheels, passing over
the periphery of the table down to the table next below, and after
being operated upon by the balls, spheres, or wheels of that table,
to pass through the centre of that table down to the table next
below, or out of the machine (as the case may be), and so causing
the material to be subjected to the action of each of the series of
balls, spheres, or wheels of the machine, and making the inner or the
outer edges of the grooves of the several tables alternately higher
and lower, for the purpose of effecting this object.
When a machine is furnished with three or more circular tables, they
may each (if desired) be made to revolve, each being made to revolve
in a direction contrary to the revolving table next to it. But it will
generally be found sufficient to cause each alternate table only to
revolve; each revolving table, in such a case, being capable of com-
municating motion not only to the balls immediately below it, but
also to those immediately above it.
I deem it desirable to make each alternate ball (of a series work-
ing in a groove) of a size slightly smaller than the others, so that
they may be moved by the larger balls, and not the revolving
table; and I do this for the purpose of preventing any tendency of
the balls or spheres to rub against each other, or impede the action
of the machine.
If spherical wheels be used wholly or partially, instead of balls or
spheres, I mount them upon the ends of arms radiating from a
ring or collar, working loosely round the centre shaft or pillar,
and round which the arms will be carried by the action of the re-
volving table upon the wheels.
Balls or spheres may, if preferred, be kept apart from each other,

page_text: by being perforated and mounted on the ends of radiating arms
such as I have mentioned.
These machines may be made of any required size, and of such
material as may be best adapted to the purposes for which they
are to be used. Cast iron I deem to be generally the most useful
material for making the tables; and I prefer to make the balls or
spheres hollow, and of a light, soft material, such as wood, gutta
percha, or wood covered with caoutchouc, leather, or gutta percha;
and they may also be made with their surfaces rough or serrated,
so as to assist in amalgamating, mixing, or grinding together the
materials operated upon.
In the accompanying Drawings I have given figures of two ma-
chines, for the purpose of more clearly shewing the description of
machines which I use for the purpose of amalgamating, mixing, and
grinding substances together according to my Invention.
.
In Figure 1, of the accompanying Drawings, I have shown a
vertical section of a machine made with two tables, namely, a
foundation table and an upper or revolving table, and between
these tables a series of balls are placed in the grooves of the
tables. In this Figure B, B, is the foundation table or plate,
which is fixed upon the supports A, A; C, C, is the upper or revolv-
ing table, in the middle of which is made a circular opening, through
which the upright pillar or post E, E, passes; D, D, are balls placed
in grooves in the tables, and within these grooves they roll round when
the machine is in action. In the middle of the foundation table is
made a circular opening or hopper H, through which and the tube
T, at the bottom of it, the substances, after being amalgamated,
mixed, or ground together, pass from the machine, and may there
be received in any convenient reservoir placed for their reception.
The outer edge of the groove of the foundation table is made higher
than the edge of it which is next to the hopper H, over which last-
mentioned edge the substances which have been acted upon by the
balls inay be allowed to pass into the hopper. Across the top of the
hopper H, is fixed a cross piece F, and upon the top of this cross
piece is fixed the upright pillar or post E, E, around which the
upper table revolves. Upon the top of the upper table is made a

page_text: receptacle Q, Q, in which may be placed weights when required, for
the purpose of increasing the pressure of the balls upon the sub-
stances operated upon. The edge or periphery of the upper table is
constructed so that a strap or belt S, S, may be placed upon it, for
the purpose of giving motion to the table, and to the balls which
support it. The substances to be operated upon are to be intro-
duced at the sides 0, 0, into the groove of the foundation table, and
motion being given to the upper table, the balls will be caused to
roll round, and operate upon the substances placed in the groove.
As fresh materials are from time to time supplied to the machine all
round the groove in the foundation table at its outer edge, the sub-
stances operated upon will gradually pass from the outer to the
inner edge of the groove, and during their progress be amalgamated,
mixed, or ground together by the action of the balls in the grooves.
A continuous supply at such a rate may be necessary to ensure the
desired amount of action upon the substances to be operated upon
in this machine may be kept up, and the material which shall have
undergone the process may be allowed to pass over the inner edge
of the groove in the lower table into the hopper H, and from thence
into a receiver or receptacle placed at the bottom of the tube T, to
receive it. When the amount of action upon the material is required
to be greater than can be obtained by a continuous operation, such
as just described, the groove of the lower table may have placed in
it a proper quantity of material to be operated upon, but not suffi-
cient to cause any of it to pass over the inner edge of the groove
during the action of the machine. The machine being then set in
motion, the operation of it upon the materials may be continued
until the substance or substances shall have been sufficiently amalga-
mated, mixed, or ground together; after which the material
may be
taken out, and a fresh quantity of material introduced, to be operated
upon in like manner.
In Figure 2, of the said Drawings, I have shewn a vertical
section of another machine convenient for the purpose of being used
in amalgamating, mixing, and grinding substances together accord-
ing to iny Invention. This machine is furnished with three tables
and with two sets of balls, one set being placed between the foun-

page_text: dation table and the middle table, and the other set between the
middle and upper tables. In this Figure, B, B, is the foundation
table fixed upon foundations or supports A, A, and having an
annular groove upon the upper side of it; also a hopper H, in the
middle of it, and a tube T, at the bottom of the hopper, in like
manner as the foundation table of the machine shewn in Figure 1.
In Figure 2, G, G, is the middle or revolving table, which has an an-
nular groove on the under side of it, made concentrice with the groove
on the foundation table, and of a proper size to receive the upper parts
of the balls D, D, placed in the grooves of the foundation table.
The middle table G, G, has also an annular groove made on the
upper side of it to receive the balls W, W; and the middle m, m, of
the same table, is made of a conical shape, so that materials falling
upon it may slide down into the groove on the upper side of that
table, and also so that the middle of the table may be higher than
the outer edge of the groove at the periphery of the table over
which materials subjected to the action of the inachine are intended
to fall, after being operated upon by the balls revolving in the groove.
Upon the centre of the middle table is cast or fixed an upright
shaft E, E, by means of which rotary motion is to be given to that
table. This shaft rises through an opening k, k, in the upper table,
and the upper part of it is to be mounted in a bearing of such a
description as will allow sufficient play to permit the shaft and the
middle table to be raised slightly from time to time during the work-
ing of the machine by the material under the balls D, D, in the
groove upon the foundation table. X, X, is the upper table, in the
middle of which is made a circular opening for the admission to the
machine of the substances to be operated upon, and also to perinit
the shaft E, E, to rise through it from the centre of the middle table
to the pulley, by means of which (and the strap or belt working
upon it) rotary motion is to be given to the middle table. The upper
table has an annular groove made on the under side of it, concentrice
with the groove on the upper side of the middle table, so as to receive
the upper parts of the balls W, W. Upon the top of the upper table
may be formed a receptacle to receive weights (when required) for
increasing the pressure of the balls on the substances to be operated

page_text: upon. The centre opening k, k, forms a hopper through which the
substances to be operated upon may be introduced into the machine.
Several vertical pillars or rods r, r, are fixed at intervals round
the periphery of the foundation table B, B, and rise up to the peri-
phery of the upper table X, X; the upper ends of the pillars or rods
working loosely in vertical slots made for that purpose, at the peri-
phery of the upper table, so that those pillars or rods may prevent
the rotation of the upper table, but permit it to rise and fall as
much as may be necessary during the working of the machine.
The opening between the foundation and upper table I prefer to
surround with a casing (not shewn in the Figure), the bottom of
which is secured to the edge of the foundation table, but the whole
or part of it made removable for the purpose of obtaining access to
the interior of the machine.
When motion is by means of the shaft E, E, given to the middle
table, and that table is thus caused to revolve (the upper and
foundation tables not being capable of being turned), the middle
table will give motion as well to the balls D, D, below it, as also to
the balls W, W, upon it.
The material to be operated upon being thrown through the upper
hopper or opening k, k, in the centre of the upper table, will fall (in
the direction indicated by arrows) upon the middle table at m, m, and
from thence slide down into the groove upon the upper side of that
table, and be there subjected to the action of the balls rolling round
in the groove. After being thus acted on, the material will pass
over the periphery of the middle table (in the direction shewn by
arrows) down into the groove in the foundation table, where it
will be subjected to the action of the balls rolling round in that
groove, after which it will pass over the inner edge of the groove of
the foundation table into the hopper H, and so through the tube T,
out of the machine, in like manner as herein-before described with
respect to the machine shewn in Figure 1.
A machine constructed in the manner I have described may be
used for amalgamating powdered quartz or ore containing gold or
silver with quicksilver, so as to enable the quicksilver to abstract the
gold or silver, and form an amalgamı with it. For this purpose

page_text: quicksilver should be placed in the groove or grooves of the table
or tables (as shewn in Figure 2), and the balls, spheres, or wheels,
as they roll round, will press the powdered quartz or ore down into
the quicksilver, which will abstract and unite with any gold or silver
in a metallic state which may be contained in the powder. When
the quicksilver becomes saturated it must be removed from the
machine and a fresh supply placed in the groove or grooves.
The machine may also be used for amalgamating, mixing, or
grinding together white lead, or any other pigment, and oil or tur-
pentine, or the materials for forming printers' ink.
For the purpose of removing quicksilver or any fluid material
from the grooves, I make them with orifices or circular openings in
their bottoms, as shewn in Fig. 2, and I use screws or plugs for
stopping such orifices when not in use, as shewn in the same Figure.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I declare that I claim as of
my Invention the application of balls, spheres, or wheels, revolving or
working in grooves or channels, for the purpose of amalgamating,
mixing, or grinding substances together in manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles James Wallis, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
Signed and sealed by the above
named Charles James Wallis,
in the presence of
RICHARD BUTT,
C. J. WALLIS. (L.S.)
Clerk to Mess". Hill & Heald,
23, Throgmorton Street, London.