An Improved Apparatus for Distributing, Mixing, Separating, Grinding, Cleaning, and Amalgamating Gold or other Ores or Tailings
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1888
An Improved Apparatus for Distributing, Mixing, Separating,
Grinding, Cleaning, and Amalgamating Gold or other Ores or
Tailings.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM KITTO of 17, Union Court, Old Broad Street in the City of
London, in the County of Middlesex, Patentec do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for distributing, Mixing, Separating,
Grinding, cleaning and amalgamating Gold and other Ores or Tailings. In the first
instance I arrange a series of baths on various levels to which the material is passed
by a distributor which is so arranged as to regulate the necessary quantity to be
passed to the baths, I also use a series of rolls, corrugated or otherwise, revolving in
Mercury baths for Mixing & separating the metals from the Ores and a series of other
rolls for grinding and cleaning the said materials for Amalgamation, the rolls may
have the rotary motion imparted to them by an endless band, a pitch chain or gearing
and an end vibrating motion by a cam or eccentric arrangement. In the baths I fit
silvered plates arranged so that they may be readily removed for cleaning, whilst for
freshening the quicksilver or prevent flowering, I apply electricity to the baths by
primary batteries or any other suitable method.
1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Distributing, Mixing, Separating,
Grinding, Cleaning, and Amalgamating Gold or other Ores or
Tailings.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM KITTO, late of 17 Union Court, Old Broad Street, and now
of Blomfield House, New Broad Street, both in the City of London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patentee, 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 :—
This invention relates to apparatus for treating gold and other ores or tailings in
which such ores or tailings are subjected to a series of distributing, mixing, separating,
grinding, cleaning and amalgamating operations.
In apparatus according to this invention I employ a series of mercury baths
arranged at different levels, the second being lower than the first and so on if
more than two baths be used.
The ores or tailings (hereinafter called ores) to be treated are mixed with water
and passed, or allowed to pass, to the mercury baths by a distributor capable of being
adjusted for the purpose of regulating the rate of delivery of ore.
A series of rolls,
each having a corrugated or other uneven surface and arranged to revolve in the
mercury baths, are employed for mixing the ores with the mercury and causing gold
or silver contained therein to be separated and form an amalgam with the mercury.
For the purpose of cleaning the surfaces of particles of gold or silver contained in the
ore and thereby enabling such particles to readily amalgamate with the mercury the
ores are caused to pass between one or more pairs of grinding or cleaning rolls
(hereinafter called cleaning rolls) arranged in any convenient position.
One of each pair of these cleaning rolls may have an endwise movement imparted
thereto by any convenient means such as a cam or occentric device to ensure uniform
wear of the rolls.
The several rolls (which may advantageously be formed of cement) may have rotary
motion imparted thereto in any suitable manner such as by endless belts, pitch chains
or gearing.
Silvered plates may be arranged in the mercury baths in such a manner that they
may be readily removed for cleaning; and for freshening the quicksilver or preventing
flowering thereof, a current of electricity may be passed therethrough in a manner
well understood.
In the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation ;
Fig. 2 a plan or top view; and
Fig. 3 a longitudinal vertical section, of my improved amalgamating apparatus.
Fig. 4 shews in section, drawn to a larger scale, part of one of the immersion rolls.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section in the line A-B fig. 3 of part of one end of an

page_text: Figs. 6, 6º, are detail views.
"
""
1, 1 are inclined tables or runs terminating in troughs 2, cach containing a
mercury bath 3. The runs and troughs are arranged one at a lower level than tho
other as shewn and I consider it advantageous to construct them of cement; they are
supported upon transverse stays 4 which also serve to connect the side frames 5 of
the apparatus. These frames which are of metal I consider it advantageous to face
on their inner sides with cement 5%. 6 is a distributing roll mounted in bearings 7 the
height of which may be adjusted for varying the distance between the lowest part of
the roll and the upper surface of the "run" and thereby enabling the rate of delivery
of ore to the apparatus to be regulated according to requirement.
This adjustment of the distributing roll may be effected by screw threaded rods 8
arranged to work through corresponding screw threaded nuts 9 carried by the
bearings. The rods 8 may be rotated by bevil wheels 10 shaft 10" and handwheel 10"
as shown.
11, 11, are rolls (hereinafter called immersion rolls); they are cach formed with a
series of transverse grooves 12 (preferably of the form shown in fig. 4) which when
the immersion roll is rotated and ore is fed to the apparatus will cause such oro to be
well mixed with the mercury 3 and gold or silver contained therein to be brought
into intimate contact with the mercury so as to form an amalgam therewith. By the
use of these immersion rolls the float gold will also be brought into intimate contact
with the mercury and caused to unite therowith. Each immersion roll is provided at
each of its ends with a ring 13 of packing material such as leather arranged to bear
against the inner cement surface of the adjacent side frame 5 so as to form a water
tight joint therewith and prevent ore escaping at these parts without coming in contact
with the mercury. 13 is a wooden wedge shaped ring for securing the packing 13
in place.
14 and 15 are a pair of cleaning rolls between which the oro passes after it has
been caused to pass through the first mercury bath.
These cleaning rolls are located between the immersion rolls 11.
The upper trough 2 is provided with an overflow channel 16 arranged to deliver
the ore from the said trough to the cleaning rolls. The roll 14 is driven from a
driving shaft 17 through the intervention of a worm wheel 18, worm 19, vertical
shaft 20, and bevil wheels 21. The roll 15 is driven from the roll 14 and at the same
rate, by toothed wheels 22; it is of larger diameter than the roll 14 and as it
revolves at the same rate its surface velocity is greater than that of the roll 14. Tho
ore passing between the rolls is consequently subjected to a grinding or rubbing
action by the rolls and it results that the particles of gold or silver in the ore are
cleaned and rendered better able to unite with the mercury in the next bath. The
roll 15 is carried in bearings that are capable of sliding in guides in the side frames
and are held in position against the ends of the guides by springs. These springs
permit the roll and its bearings to move towards and from the roll 14 and permit of
the passage between the rolls of comparatively large pieces of ore that may have
become accidentally mixed with the finely ground ore from any cause such as a
broken screen. 26 is a block (Figs. 6, 6") arranged to work in an annular groove
formed in the boss of the wheel driving the roll 14. This block is carried by an
eccentric sleeve 26° encircling a spindle 27 which is driven from the toothed wheel
by bevil gearing 28 as shewn in fig. 6. By this means a slight endwise movement
is imparted to the roll for the purpose set forth. The driving shaft 17 which is
supported in side standards 18*, is fitted with fast and loose pulleys 29 and 30, and
with chain wheels 31 and 32 that are secured to the said shaft. 33 and 34 are endless
chains driven by the chain wheels 31 and 32 respectively. The chain 33 serves to
drive the distributing roll 6, and the chain 34 serves to rotate the first immersion
roll 11. The second immersion roll is driven from the first one by another endless
chain 36. Usually two mercury baths 3 and two immersion rolls 11 will be found
sufficient to effectually unite gold and silver contained in the ores treated with the
mercury. In some cases however it may be desirable to employ more than two baths
and two immersion rolls. Suitable openings may be provided in the side frames for

page_text: withdrawing amalgam from the troughs 2. The ore from the lowest trough may be
discharged into any suitable receptacle or conduit and allowed to escape. It is
however advantageous to first discharge it into a settling chamber divided into two
or more compartments by one or more vertical partitions so arranged that the ores aro
first caused to descend through the first compartment before they overflow from the
last compartment. By this means mercury or amalgam that may be carried over in
a fine state of division with the ore will be allowed to settle in the lower part of the
settling chamber and thus saved. The settling chamber may be provided with a valve
at its lower end for withdrawing the mercury thus recovered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is
1. The use for treating gold and other ores or tailings of apparatus comprising a
series of mercury baths arranged at different levels, with immersion rolls having
corrugated or fluted surfaces and arranged to rotate therein, a distributing roll and
grinding or cleaning rolls, the several rolls being arranged and operating substantially
as herein before described for the purposes set forth.
2. My improved apparatus for treating gold and other ores or tailings constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and
shewn in the drawings annoxed whether with or without a settling chamber such as
described.