Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1887
Complete Left, 20th Feb., 1838
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
A communication from abroad by JAMES ALMIERIAN SPERRY, of New York, in the
State of New York, United States, Mining Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and 323 High
Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of devices or apparatus employed for extracting
gold and silver from their ores, by amalgamation, and commonly known as amal-
gamators; and the object of the invention is to produce a simple, cheap, and effective
apparatus, wherein all the material to be operated upon is brought into contact with
the mercury in a forcible, uniform, and thorough manner; wherein the mercury may
be prevented by application of electricity from "flowering," "sickening," or
otherwise deteriorating or losing its quickness, wherein no mechanically moving parts
are employed to effect the contact of ore and mercury, or to effect the passage of ore
through the amalgamator, and wherein or whereby other advantages are attained.
any
A tray of metal, wood, or any suitable material is made, and of any desired size,
and through the bottom of this is inserted a series of tubes of desired dimensions.
It is found that for one ton of ore per hour, a tray fourteen inches square having
forty-nine discharge tubes, each with an eighth inch orifice answers very well, but
there is no limitation to any dimensions or numbers. The tray is of suitable depth
and may have projecting side flanges to facilitate mounting and moving it. The tubes
extend above the bottom of the tray and a short distance below the bottom, and serve
to discharge the water and pulp from the tray. Mercury fills the tray to about the
level of the tops of the tubes. This tray may be used singly if desired. The water
and ore or pulp being delivered upon the top of the mercury, flows thereon, or in
contact therewith, and passes out through the discharge tubes. It is preferable to
employ a series of trays, one above the other, so that the material discharged from one
tray will enter the next one below, and be also brought in contact with the mercury
therein. The series may be of
any extent. When the trays are arranged in series

page_text: the discharge tubes of one tray are so located that they will not be in line with those
of the tray above, or of the tray below, and preferably in line with the middle of
the space between the tubes in the next tray, then the material after descending
from one tray must take the longest paths over the surface of the mercury in the
next tray, before it can find an exit.
The distance between the trays is varied according to circumstances. It is found
that a fall of from three to seven inches will ensure the desired foreible contact of the
pulp with the mercury.
In each tray the mercury rests upon a copper or equivalent plate, and in each tray,
and at a distance above the mercury is a carbon or equivalent plate sustained upon
rubber or equivalent standards and free from the walls of the tray, so as to avoid
metallic contact therewith. The upper plate admits the free passage of water and puip
between it and the mercury below, the water and pulp just touching its underside and
it (the plate) is perforated, and its perforations arranged so that they will lie in line
with the discharge tubes of the tray above, and the perforations are large enough to
permit the fall of the material through them, without striking the plate.
The insulated plate is to be connected with the anode or positive pole of a battery.
or electric machine, and the plate under the mercury with the cathode or negative pole
The water, pulp and chemicals serve as the electrolyte through which the current passes
downwardly. The electric connections are made in any suitable way and any source
of electricity may be utilized. The lowermost tray may be provided with an inclined
bottom, and a pipe leading to one side through which the mercury may be
drawn off.
A hopper may be used to feed the first tray, and this hopper may have a grated
bottom. Any suitable receptacle may be provided for the tailings. Uprights of
suitable design may receive tho trays, and each tray may have an orifice through
which the mercury may be discharged.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A communication from abroad by JAMES ALMIERIAN SPERRY, of the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America, Mining Engineer.
:
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.ME. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 :-
The invention has relation to that class of devices or apparatus employed for
extracting gold and silver from their ores by amalgamation, and commonly known as
"amalgamators" or "amalgamating apparatus," and the object of the said invention
is to produce a simple, cheap, and effective apparatus, wherein all the material to be
operated upon, is brought into contact with the mercury in a forcible, uniform, and
thorough manner, wherein the mercury or quicksilver may be prevented, by application
of electricity, from "flowering "", sickening ""breaking" or otherwise deteriorating
or losing its quickness, wherein no mechanically moving parts of the apparatus are
employed to effect the contact of ore and mercury, or to effect the passage of the ore
through the amalgamator, and which apparatus may be easily and cheaply operated
in connection with all grades of ores, which is not liable to get out of order, and
which will secure the thorough extraction of precious metals, and insure other
advantages as will hereinafter appear.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1, is an
elevation, and Figure 2, a vertical section of an apparatus, including a number of
trays, arranged for operation in accordance with the invention, and involving the
principles thereof. Figure 3, is a plan of one of the trays detached, and Figure 4, a
vertical sectional view thereof. Figure 5, is a plan view of one of the perforated
anode plates detached from its tray.
In all the figures, like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corre-
sponding parts.
A, is a tray of metal, wood, or any suitable material and of any desired size, and
through the bottom of this, are inserted a series of tubes, as a a, of any desired
dimensions. It is found that for one ton of ore per hour, a tray fourteen inches
square having forty nine discharge tubes, each with an eighth inch orifice answers
very well, but my correspondent does not limit himself to any dimensions or to any
number of discharge tubes. The tray is of suitable depth and formed with projecting
side flanges, as bb, to facilitate mounting and moving it when necessary.
The tubes a a extend above the bottom of the tray, and through, and a short
distance below the bottom, and serve to discharge the water and pulp from the tray.
The object in having them extend above the bottom is to form a receptacle for a body
of mercury, and they extend below the bottom, so that they will deliver solid or
unbroken streams and prevent dripping from the bottom except at the point of
of delivery from the tubes. The tray so constituted may be used singly if desired.
The water and ore or pulp being delivered upon the top of the mercury flows thereon
or in contact therewith, and passes out through the series of discharge tubes to any
receptacle below the streams, in no way interfering with each other, but it is
preferable to employ the trays in a series, one above the other, so that the material

page_text: discharged from one tray will enter the next one below and be also brought in contac
with the mercury therein. This series may consist of two or any desired number.
In Figures 1 and 2 the apparatus is shown as containing six trays, which wil
generally be found amply sufficient, though more may be used, if desired. When the
trays are arranged in vertical series, the discharge tubes of one tray are so located or
disposed that they will not be in line with those of the tray above, or of the tray
below, and preferably, as indicated, about above the middle of the space between the
tubes in the next tray. The material discharged from one tray cannot then pass
through the tubes of the next, without coming in contact with the mercury therein
and if the tubes be arranged in the preferable manner the material, after descending
from one tray, must take the longest paths over the surface of the mercury in the
next tray before it can find an exit, thus remaining a sufficient time in contact with
the mercury and exposing all its particles to contact therewith.
The distance between the trays of the series is varied according to circumstances.
It is desirable that the material shall strike the mercury forcibly to insure perfect
contact, and at the same time that the stream be not broken. It is found that a fall
of from three to seven inches will insure the desired result, though a greater or
less distance may be perfectly practicable.
In each tray the mercury rests upon a copper or equivalent plate as B, and in each
tray and at a distance above the mercury is a carbon or equivalent plate, C, sustained
as upon rubber or equivalent standards cc, and made slightly smaller than the interior
of the tray, so that there will be no metallic connection between B and C. Any
other means of insulating these two plates may be adopted. The plate C is located
at such a distance above the mercury that it will admit of the free passage of the
water and pulp between the two, the water and pulp just touching the under side
of this plate on its way to the discharge tubes. Each plate C is perforated, as at dd,
and these perforations are arranged so that they will lie in line with the discharge
tubes of the tray above, or over the spaces between the discharge tubes of the tray
in which the plate is located, and the perforations are large enough to permit the fall
of the material through them without interference by striking the plate.
The insulated plate C is to be connected with the anode or positive pole of a battery or
electric machine or source of clectricity, and the plate under the mercury with the
cathode or negative pole. Thus the plate C is positively electrified, and the mercury
negatively, and the water pulp and chemicals serve as the electrolyte through which the
current passes downwardly to the mercury.
The electric connections are made in any suitable way. When the trays are
mounted in series, it will probably be found most advantageous to connect the anode
plates with one conductor, as D, and the cathode plates, with another conductor, as E,
these two conductors running to the battery or machine. For the convenient
connections the movable sections as e e and ff are supplied. The lowermost tray of
the series has an inclined bottom, from which a pipe, F, leads off to one side, its
discharge orifice being located on a level with the top of the mercury in this tray
when the apparatus is being used. The mercury may be drawn off from the lower
tray by turning the mouth of this pipe downwardly, as will be readily understood.
The series may be charged with mercury by turning it in at the top. As each tray is
filled to the top of the tubes therein, mercury descends to the next tray below, and so
on until discharge takes place at the mouth of F, when the supply should be arrested.
Thus the trays may be quickly and properly charged.
G, is an ordinary hopper having a grating g, through which the pulp or material is
originally delivered to the apparatus. It may or may not be used.
Hrepresents any suitable receptacle or conduit for the tailings or products
delivered from the apparatus.
I, I are suitable uprights, and K K horizontal pieces forming a convenient frame-
work for sustaining the series. The flanges bb, if employed upon the trays, may rest
upon strips hh, which are secured to the framework. The amalgamated material and
mercury may be drawn from the trays through suitable perforations in the bosses i i.
The body of mercury is represented at m.

page_text: The electric current as is well understood, preserves the quickness and prevents
flowering or fouling of the mercury by sulphur, arsenic etcetera, and may aid in the
amalgamating process by producing a decomposition of water evolving hydrogen gas,
or, in the presence of chloride of sodium in the electrolyte, may by the decomposition
of this salt produce chlorine gas and sodium, also aiding in amalgamation.
The apparatus above described is intended especially to effect the amalgamation of
rebellious ores. It is very simple in all its parts, has no mechanically moving parts to
get out of order, or subject to wear, requires no particular attention or special power
to operate it, and is well calculated to answer the purpose or object of the invention,
as previously stated.
My correspondent is aware that it is not broadly new to employ a current of
electricity for the purpose of preventing flowering or sickening of the mercury, and
he is also aware that the pulp has heretofore been delivered from one tray to another
through a series of short tubes. By the improved apparatus he is enabled to pass the
several streams of pulp through the perforated anode plate, compelling forcible
contact of the pulp with the mercury and at the same time making the pulp operate
as an electrolyte through which the electric current passes from the carbon plate into
and through the mercury and to the copper plate below it. In previous forms of
amalgamators wherein electricity has been employal, either the upper surface of the
mercury has not been left free for contact of the pulp therewith, or some mechanical
means have been employed for agitating the pulp and mercury. Over these former
constructions the improved device has the advantages of simplicity and certainty of
nction as well as the saving of power required for its operation.
The correspondent is also aware that a movable or adjustable discharging tube has
been employed in connection with an amalgamator; but such tube has not to his
knowledge, been employed, in connection with a series of trays arranged to be filled
from the top.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an amalgamator, a tray having discharge tubes passing through its bottom
and maintaining a body of mercury in the lower part of the tray, a cathode plate
located beneath the mercury, a perforated and insulated anode plate located at a
distance above the mercury, and having its perforations out of line of the discharge
tubes below, in combination with suitable electrical connections, for the purpose, and
substantially in the manner set forth.
2. In an amalgamator, a series of two or more trays arranged one above the other,
each having discharge tubes passing through its bottom, and maintaining a body of
mercury in the lower part of the tray, a cathode plate located beneath the mercury, a
perforated and insulated anode plate located a distance above the mercury, and having
its perforations in line with the discharge tubes of the tray above, in combination with
suitable electrical connections for the purpose and in the manner described.
3. In an amalgamator, two or moro trays arranged one above the other, each having
a series of discharge tubes passing through its bottom, and maintaining a body of
mercury in the lower part of the tray, a copper plate located beneath the mercury, a
perforated and insulated carbon plate located at a distance above the mercury, and
having its perforations in line with the discharge tubes of the tray above, and
electric connections, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated th: 10L
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.