Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Finely Divided Metalliferous Material for the Purposes of Separation and Amalgamation.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1890-Accepted. 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Finely Divided
Metalliferous Material for the Purposes of Separation and
Amalgamation.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No. 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for treating finely divided
metalliferous material for the purposes of separation and amalgamation.
Amalgamators as heretofore constructed have failed more or less to extract the
whole of the precious metals present in the material treated because they did not
effect a sufficiently intimate contact between the finely divided precious metals and
the mercury.
Now this invention has for object to provide an amalgamator of simple construc-
tion wherein the material such as sand, pulp, &c., containing the precious metal or
metals to be extracted, is first thoroughly disintegrated and then thrown in its
disintegrated state, particle by particle, into the lower part of a practically undisturbed
mass of mercury, thereby obtaining the most intimate contact of the precious metal or
metals with the mercury and its or their consequent complete amalgamation.
Efforts have been previously made to introduce the sand, pulp, or other material
containing gold or silver or both, and cause it to pass through the mercury with the
object of catching the gold, silver, etc. but these methods have failed because the
material has been passed through the mercury in a practically solid or continuous
stream; whereas absolute disintegration, or separation of each particle of precious
metal from the sand, is necessary to ensure its envelopment on all sides by the
mercury when it enters the same. This complete disintegration of the sand, pulp,
or other material and its passage in a disintegrated state through the mercury,
is effected in an efficient manner by the machine or apparatus hereinafter described.
This invention also has for object to provide a convenient construction and
arrangement of an agitator and of a feed valve for regulating the supply to the
machine of the material to be treated (hereinafter called sand) which is in a finely
divided state.
One arrangement of amalgamator or apparatus for treating metalliferous material
according to this invention is constructed with a drum mounted on legs which
support it above a suitable frame provided with footstep and bracket bearings for a
vertical driving shaft. On this shaft is secured a driving pulley, but any other
suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft. In a small machine the shaft
may be driven by band. The frame also supports bearings for a counter shaft driven
from a suitable engine shaft, and having eccentrics with rods, such eccentrics
being arranged with their centres 180° apart so that they will reciprocate their rods
in an alternate manner for the purposes hereinafter explained.
Centrally within the drum is cast or secured by any suitable means a central
raised part (hereinafter called a pedestal) having its upper surface bevelled down-
ward and outward to a line near its outer edge and then inclined slightly upward
to this edge. There may be an annular horizontal surface between the two inclined
surfaces. The pedestal is provided with a central upwardly extending tubular
portion to receive the vertical driving shaft which passes centrally through the
pedestal. At its upper end where it projects above the tubular portion of the
pedestal, the shaft is enlarged and secured to the upper tubular end of a disintegrating
feed wheel by a pin or other suitable means, so that the shaft will operate to rotate
the feed wheel.

page_text: A hole formed in the shaft and leading from the upper end thereof serves for
the admission of lubricant to the shaft bearings.
The disintegrating feed wheel whose office it is to disintegrate the sand, and
then feed it to the mercury runs over and conforms closely to the tubular portion
and the bevelled surface of the pedestal but does not touch these parts the weight
of the feed wheel being carried by means of the footstep bearing in which the
lower end of the driving shaft works. This footstep bearing can be raised or lowered
to adjust the clearance space between the feed wheel and pedestal, by packing
plates or other suitable means. The base of the feed wheel extends at its outer
edge approximately to the upwardly inclined portion of the top surface of the
pedestal, the feed-wheel thus terminating a short distance in from the outer edge
of the pedestal. The feed-wheel is made with an upper cylindrical part and with a
lower disc-shaped part formed with flutes the upper edges of which are covered by
a cover-plate so as to form closed passage-ways that lead from the centre to the
periphery of the feed-wheel. In one construction of the feed-wheel the walls of the
flutes are square in section and stand vertically to the disc part of the feed wheel,
being of convenient depth towards the centre and tapering to a small depth at the
periphery. Towards the centre where they face the cylindrical part of the feed wheel,
the walls are chamfered down to a fine edge and the general direction of the flutes
is tangential to the wall of the cylindrical part of the wheel.
The body of the feed-wheel and its cover-plate can be made separate, and the
cover be secured in place by bolts or rivets and it will be understood that such con-
struction may, on account of greater convenience in casting the parts, be preferred,
but this invention is not limited to such construction, as obviously the wheel-body
and cover plate might be formed in a single piece and the size, direction and pro-
portions of these closed passage ways varied without departing from the nature of
this invention. Above the feed wheel and so as to surround the cylindrical part
thereof, is a hollow or tubular cover consisting essentially of inner and outer
cylindrical walls which form between them an annular water reservoir. The outer
wall also serves as part of the inner wall of an annular channel hereinafter called
the mercury-space the outer wall of which is formed by the drum. The remainder
of the inner wall of the mercury space is formed by the pedestal. The inner wall of
the tubular cover encircles the cylindrical part of the feed wheel and forms therewith
a passage way for the material to be treated to pass from a hopper down on to the
disintegrating portion of the feed wheel. The tubular cover which has a lower inclined
face corresponding to the upper surface of the feed wheel, is supported so that it can be
adjusted vertically, preferably by being supported on stud bolts mounted on the top
edge of the drum and passing up through brackets carried by the tubular cover, nuts
being provided above and below each bracket, so that the tubular cover can be adjusted
up and down as required and held in its adjusted position. At its lower end the
tubular cover extends at its outer edge to a point just above the outer edge of
the feed wheel, the lower end of the tube being of less diameter than the pedestal.
The tubular cover fits approximately over the fluted part of the feed-wheel and has
an annular projection that projects downwards in front of the sharp disintegrating
edges of the walls of the flutes. This serves as a guard to prevent the sand from
passing over the cover plate of the flutes, and directs the sand through the closed
passage ways of the feed wheel to its periphery. A discharge space or opening is
provided between the outer edges of the tubular cover and the pedestal, through
which space the disintegrated mass can be thrown into the mercury space, such opening
being guarded by an annular check-valve that may advantageously be formed of a
band or ring of india rubber, one portion of which encircles and grips the lower end
of the cover whilst another portion extends below such cover and bears against the
pedestal, thus preventing contact of the revolving feed wheel with the mercury in the
mercury space while at the same time the material can pass from the feed-wheel into
the mercury as desired.
Through the inner wall of the tubular cover is inserted a feed pipe provided at its
upper end with stop cocks and a funnel. By this means an independent passage is

page_text: provided for feeding, direct on to the feed wheel, the usual chemicals employed for
quickening the mercury thus securing by virtue of the disintegrating power of the
wheel, an instantaneous and perfect distribution of the chemicals throughout the
mercury. The water reservoir for convenience is usually cast in one piece with
the tubular cover and holds the water by which the sand is assisted off the surface of
the mercury and carried off through the discharge opening. It is perforated through
its outer wall with holes of such a size and number as to allow the necessary quantity
of water to flow out on to the surface of the mercury. such perforations being arranged
just above the level of the mercury.
The mercury space is divided by a horizontal perforated partition plate.
Within the upper end of the tubular cover is inserted a feed hopper provided with
a feed regulating valve whose construction and operation are as follows:-At the base
of the hopper is an opening the edge of which forms a circular valve seat; through
the opening is suspended a conical valve turned to a true bevel on its outer face,
having its greatest diameter larger than the circular valve seat, and tapering up to a
projecting hoss into which is securely fastened a valve spindle. This spindle is screw
threaded at its upper end and works through a correspondingly threaded hole in a
cross bar that spans the top of the hopper; the spindle is provided with an adjustment
wheel and a lock wheel. By means of this screw threaded spindle the valve can be
raised or lowered so as to thereby decrease or enlarge the passage-way through the
bottom of the hopper.
Around the drum and at the level of the mercury is secured by any suitable means,
it may be by casting, an outer annular discharge trough the floor of which slopes
slightly from the wall of the trough to the level of the mercury, where there are four
small holes opening from the trough back into the drum. There is or may be only
one discharge passage from the drum into the trough and the water and sand have
to flow around this trough to discharge finally by an opening into a spout this
discharge opening being arranged at a level about two inches lower than the discharge
opening between the drum and the trough.
An agitator comprising three series of floats arranged radial to, & concentric with
the vertical centre line of the machine is provided with the object of preventing the
massing of the sand above the mercury; of producing currents in the water; and
of effecting an immediate loosening of the sand, inasmuch as any massing, or baking
of the sand would break up and flour the mercury. One series of the floats is fixed to
the wall of the reservoir, and of the other two series which are movable, one is
arranged within the drum just above the level of the mercury and the other within
the circular trough. These floats can be made of sheet iron and are arranged with
their flat sides perpendicular. The floats within the drum are secured to the under-
side of a horizontal perforated plate with their lower edges about "above the surface
of the mercury. There may be two or more of such plates superimposed, if desirable.
The floats within the trough are fixed to the underside of a ring, with their bottom
edges about 16" above the sloping floor of the trough. The perforated plate and the
ring are connected and supported by four hangers arranged to slide upon the top
edge of the drum. These hangers hang down on each side of the wall of the drum,
and are formed with projections that support a plate that enters a circular recess
turned into the outer face of the drum.
The eccentric rods can advantageously be connected with the hangers by means of
balls formed on extension pieces attached to the hangers, and socket pieces on the
rods. By these means the agitator is automatically oscillated when the machine is in
use, the eccentric rods being reciprocated in an alternate manner by the relative
arrangement of their eccentrics, as before described.
The action of the agitator is as follows:-As already stated there is only one
discharge passage from the drum to the trough and only one final discharge opening
from the trough, the latter opening being diametrically opposite to the other. By
this arrangement the sand is caused to flow first around the drum to the discharge
passage and then back around the trough to the final discharge opening. The series
of movable floats of the agitator being oscillated at the time the sand and the water,

page_text: fed in from the water reservoir, are flowing between and over them in their circular
paths to the final discharge opening, the sand will be freed from any particles of metal
that may be mixed with it such particles being shaken down by the agitation on to the
surface of the mercury. This final separation of any metallic particles is of considerable
importance since it ensures the complete separation of the whole of the metals in the
material treated. In practice the sand is fed into the hopper in such quantities as to
keep the hopper constantly full, so that by means of the regular valve, sand alone will
be fed to the machine, the air being excluded, such exclusion of the air being necessary
to prevent oxidation of the mercury.
The amount of material fed to the machine is regulated by raising or lowering the
valve and so enlarging or reducing the size of the passage between it and its seat.
When the material has passed the valve it falls around the cylindrical part of feed
wheel and is thoroughly disintegrated on the sharp disintegrating edges of the walls of
the flutes in the feed wheel. Then in finely divided portions it passes by centrifugal
force down the flutes beneath the cover plate and is thrown in a finely disintegrated
state through the check valve into the mercury bath. There the mercury immediately
amalgamates with the fine gold, silver, &c., which it has every opportunity to do
owing to the almost perfect mechanical separation of the gold and silver from the
sand, and the complete envelopment of the free metals by the mercury. The amalgam
thus formed settles, in the case of gold amalgam, to the bottom of the mercury space,
silver and other metals that are lighter than mercury and are capable of forming an
amalgam therewith readily forming an amalgam that will remain in the mercury.
The drum should be filled with mercury to a height slightly above the level of the
inner edge of the floor of the trough the distance of this level above the discharge
aperture from the feed-wheel being ordinarily from three to twenty-four inches.
The sand rises to the surface of the mercury where it is met by the flow of water
from the reservoir and with such water it passes the oscillating agitator floats and out
through the final discharge opening.
Apparatus according to this invention can be modified in its details without departure
from the essential features of the invention.
Dated this 22nd dow of Doomben 1000
W. LLOYD WISE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Finely Divided
Metalliferous Material for the Purposes of Separation and
Amalgamation.
A communication from abroad by JOHN BERNARD WALKER, of Corvallis, County of
Benton, State of Oregon, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No. 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 improvements in apparatus for treating finely divided
metalliferous material for the purposes of separation and amalgamation.
Amalgamators as heretofore constructed have failed more or less to extract the
whole of the precious metals present in the material treated because they did
not effect a sufficient intimate contact between the finely divided precious metals and
the mercury:
Now this invention has for object to provide an amalgamator of simple construction
wherein the material such as sand, and pulp, containing the precious metal or metals
to be extracted, is first thoroughly disintegrated and then thrown in its disintegrated
state, particle by particle, into the lower part of a practically undisturbed mass of
mercury, thereby obtaining the most intimate contact of the precious metal or metals
with the mercury, and its or their consequent complete amalgamation.

page_text: Efforts have been previously made to introduce the sand, pulp, or other material
containing gold or silver or both, into the mercury and to cause it to pass through the
same with the object of catching the gold, or silver, but these methods have failed
because the material has been passed through the mercury in a practically solid or
continuous stream; whereas absolute disintegration, or separation of each particle of
precious metal from the sand, is necessary to ensure its envelopment on all sides by
the mercury when it enters the same. This complete disintegration of the sand,
pulp, or other material and its passage in a disintegrated state through the
mercury, is effected in an efficient manner by the machine or apparatus hereinafter
described.
This invention also has for object to provide a convenient construction and
arrangement of an agitator and of a feed valve for regulating the supply to the machine
of the material to be treated (hereinafter called sand) which should be in a finely
divided state.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical section,
partly in elevation, and a plan, of apparatus according to this invention.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section drawn to a larger scale, of the disintegrating feed
wheel.
Fig. 4 is a half plan of the same with part of a cover plate carried thereby, broken
away.
Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional detail views also drawn to a larger scale.
1 is a drum or vessel (hereinafter called a drum) mounted on legs 2 which support
it above a suitable frame 3 provided with footstep and bracket bearings 4 and 5
respectively for a vertical driving shaft 6. On this shaft is secured a driving pulley 7,
but any other suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft. In a small
machine the shaft may be driven by hand. The frame 3 also carries bearings 8 for a
counter shaft 9 driven from a suitable engine shaft, and carrying eccentrics 10 with
rods 11, these eccentrics being arranged with their centres 180° apart so that when
one rod 11 is moving to the right the other will be moving to the left, and vice versa,
for the purpose hereinafter explained.
Centrally within the drum is cast, or secured by any suitable means, a central raised
part 12 (hereinafter called a pedestal) having its upper surface bevelled at 12' down-
ward and outward to a line near its outer edge and then inclined slightly upward as
at 12 to this edge. There may be an annular horizontal surface between the two
inclined surfaces. The pedestal 12 is provided with a central upwardly extending
tubular portion 13 to receive the vertical driving shaft 6 which passes centrally
through the pedestal. The shaft is enlarged at its upper end 6 where it projects
above the tubular portion of the pedestal, and is secured by a pin 14 or other suitable
means to the upper tubular part 15 of a disintegrating feed wheel 16 so that the shaft
when driven will rotate the feed wheel.
A hole 17 formed in the shaft and leading from the upper end thereof to a lateral
outlet 17" (shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 1) serves for the admission of lubricant to the
shaft bearings.
The disintegrating feed wheel 16 whose office it is to disintegrate the sand, and then
feed it to the mercury contained within the space 17 in the drum, 1, runs over and
conforms closely to the tubular portion and the upper bevelled surface 12" of the
pedestal 12, but does not touch these parts, the weight of the feed wheel being carried
by means of the footstep bearing 4 in which the lower end of the driving shaft
works. This footstep bearing can be raised or lowered to adjust the clearance space
between the feed wheel and pedestal, by packing plates inserted between it and the
part 3 of the frame 3, or by any other suitable means. The base of the feed wheel
extends at its outer edge approximately to the commencement of the upwardly
inclined portion 12h of the top surface of the pedestal, the periphery of the feed wheel
thus terminating a short distance in from the outer edge or periphery of the pedestal.
The feed wheel is formed on its upper side with flutes 18 (Fig. 4) the upper edges
of the walls 18 of which are covered by a cover-plate 19 so as to form closed passage
ways that lead from the centre to the periphery of the feed wheel. In the construction

page_text: of feed wheel shewn, the walls 18* of the flutes are rectangular in section and stand
vertically to the disc part of the wheel, being of convenient depth towards the centre
and tapering to a small depth at the outer end. Towards the centre where they face
the cylindrical part 15 of the feed wheel, the walls are chamfered down to a fine
edge 18, and the general direction of the flutes is tangential to the outer surface of
the cylindrical part 15 of the wheel. The body of the feed wheel, and its cover-plate,
can be made separate, and the cover be secured in place by bolts or rivets 20, and it
will be understood that such construction may, on account of greater convenience in
casting the parts, he preferred, but this invention is not limited to such construction,
as obviously the wheel-body and cover plate might be formed in a single piece
and the size, direction, and proportions of the closed passage ways varied without
departing from the nature of this invention. Above the feed wheel and so as to
surround the cylindrical part 15 thereof, is a hollow or tubular cover 21 consisting
essentially of inner and outer cylindrical walls 21° 21' respectively with horizontal
division 21, the space above which and between the walls forms an annular water
reservoir 21. The outer wall 21 also serves as part of the inner wall of the annular
channel 17 (hereinafter called the mercury-space) the outer wall of which is formed
by the wall of the drum 1. The remainder of the inner wall of the mercury space is
formed by the pedestal 12. The inner wall 21 of the tubular cover encircles the
cylindrical part 15 of the feed wheel, and forms therewith an annular passage way 22
through which the material to be treated can pass downward from a hopper 23 to
the annular recess at 15ª and thence to the disintegrating portion of the feed wheel.
The tubular cover, which has a lower inclined face corresponding to the upper surface
of the feed wheel, is supported so that it can be adjusted vertically, preferably by
being supported by studs 23 secured in the top edge of the drum 1 as shewn in Fig. 5,
and passing up through the brackets 24 carried by the tubular cover, nuts 25, 25ª
being provided above and below each bracket, so that the tubular cover can be
adjusted up and down as required, and held in its adjusted position. At its lower end,
the tubular cover extends at its outer edge to a point just above the outer edge of the
feed wheel, the lower end of the cover being of less diameter than the pedestal as
shewn in Fig. 1. The tubular cover fits approximately over the fluted part of the
feed wheel and has an annular projection 26 that projects downwards a short distance
into the annular recess 15" and in front of the sharp disintegrating edges 18 of
the walls of the flutes 18. This projection serves as a guard to prevent the
sand from passing over the cover plate 19, and directs the sand through the
closed passage ways or flutes of the feed wheel to the periphery thereof. An
annular discharge passage or opening is provided between the outer edges of the
tubular cover and pedestal as shewn in Fig. 1, through which passage or opening
the disintegrated mass can be thrown into the mercury space 17. This discharge
passage or opening is guarded by an annular check-valve 27 that may advan-
tageously be formed of a band or ring of india rubber, one portion of which
encircles and grips the lower end of the tubular cover, whilst another portion
extends below such cover and bears against the pedestal, thus preventing contact
of the revolving feed wheel with the mercury in the mercury space, while at the same
time the material treated can pass from the feed wheel into the mercury as desired.
Through the inner wall 21" of the tubular cover 21 is inserted a feed pipe 28
provided at its upper end with stop cocks 29, 30 and with a funnel 31. By this
means an independent passage is provided for feeding, direct on to the feed wheel,
the usual chemicals employed for quickening the mercury, thus securing by virtue
of the disintegrating power of the feed wheel, an instantaneous and perfect distri-
bution of the chemicals throughout the mercury. The water reservoir 21ª, is for
convenience, usually cast in one piece with the tubular cover 21, and holds the
water by which the sand is assisted off the surface of the mercury and carried off
through the discharge opening hereinafter referred to. It is perforated through its
outer wall with holes 32 of such a size and number as to allow the necessary quantity
of water to flow out on to the surface of the mercury, such perforations being
arranged just above the level of the mercury, within the annular mercury space 17

page_text: which is divided into an upper and a lower part by a horizontal perforated partition
plate 33.
The feed hopper 23 is placed within the upper end of the inner wall 21ª of the
tubular cover, and is provided with a feed regulating valve 34 whose construction
and operation are as follows:-At the base of the hopper is an opening 35 the edge
of which forms a circular valve seat; through this opening is suspended the conical
valve 34 turned to a true bevel on its outer surface, having its greatest diameter
larger than the circular valve seat, and tapering up to a projecting boss into
which is securely fastened a valve spindle 36. This spindle is screw threaded
at its upper end and works through a correspondingly threaded hole in a cross
bar 37 that spans the top of the hopper; the spindle is provided with an adjusting
wheel 38 and with a lock wheel 39. By means of this spindle, the valve 34 can
be raised or lowered so as to thereby decrease or enlarge the passage way through
the bottom of the hopper.
Around the drum 1 and about the level 40 of the mercury, is secured by any suitable
means, it may be by casting in one piece with the drum as in the example shewn, an
outer annular discharge trough 41 the floor of which slopes slightly as shewn from its
outer wall to the level of the mercury, where there are four small openings 42 leading
from the trough to the drum.
There is, or may be, only one discharge passage 43 from the drum into the
trough, this opening being formed by cutting away a part of the wall of the drum, as
shewn in Fig. 2 to a suitable depth, say about two inches from its top. The water
and sand passing through this opening flow. around the trough to a discharge
opening 44 (Fig. 2) and thence into a spout 45, the discharge passage 43 being
arranged at a level about two inches lower than the discharge opening 44.
An agitator comprising three series of floats 46, 47, and 48, arranged radial to, and
concentric with the vertical centre line of the machine can in some cases be provided
with the objects of preventing the massing of the sand above the mercury; of pro-
ducing currents in the water; and of effecting an immediato loosening of the sand,
inasmuch as any massing, or baking of the sand would break up and flour the mercury.
The one series of floats 46 is fixed to the outer wall 21 of the tubular cover, and of
the other two series 47 and 48, which are movable, one (48) is arranged within the
drum 1 just above the level of the mercury therein, and the other (47) within the
circular trough 41. These floats can be made of sheet iron and are arranged with
their flat sides perpendicular. The floats 46 are secured to the underside of a hori-
zontal perforated plate 48*, with their lower edges about half an inch above the
surface of the mercury in the mercury space 17. There may be two or more of such
perforated plates superimposed if desirable. The series of floats 47 are fixed to the
underside of a ring 49, with their bottom edges about one sixteenth of an inch above
the sloping floor of the trough. The perforated plate 48* and ring 49 are connected and
supported by four hangers 50 of the form shewn, arranged to slide upon the top edge
of the drum 1. These hangers hang down on each side of the wall of the drum, and
are formed with projections 51, that support a plate 52 which enters a circular recess
turned into the outer face of the drum (Figs. 1 and 6).
The eccentric rods 11 are connected with two of the hangers 50, preferably by
means of balls 53 (Fig. 6) each formed on an extension piece 54 attached to one of
the hangers, and taken into a corresponding socket piece or bearing 11ª on the rods.
By these means the agitator can be automatically oscillated when the machine is in
use, one eccentric rod moving to the right when the other is moving to the left and
vice versa, this being due to the relative arrangement of the eccentrics 10 as before
described.
The action of the agitator is as follows:-As already stated there is only one
discharge passage 43 from the drum to the trough, and only one final discharge
opening 44, from the trough, the latter opening being diametrically opposite to the
passage 43. By this arrangement, the sand is caused to flow first around the drum to
the discharge passage, and then back around the trough to the final discharge opening.
The series of movable floats 47 and 48 of the agitator being oscillated at the time when

page_text: the sand and the water fed in from the water reservoir 21ª, are flowing between and
over them, in their circular paths to the final discharge opening, the sand will be freed
from any particles of metal that may be mixed with it, such particles being shaken
down by the agitation, on to the surface of the mercury. This final separation of any
metallic particles that may be present in the sand is of considerable importance since
it ensures the complete separation of the whole of the metals in the material treated..
In practice the sand is fed into the hopper in such quantities as to keep the hopper
constantly full, so that by means of the regulator valve, sand alone will be fed to the
machine, the air being excluded, such exclusion of the air being necessary to prevent
oxidation of the mercury.
The amount of material fed into the machine is regulated by raising or lowering the
valve 35 and so enlarging or reducing the size of the passage between it and its seat
according to requirements. When the material has passed the valve 35 it falls around
the cylindrical part of the feed wheel and is thoroughly disintegrated on the sharp
disintegrating inner edges 18b of the walls of the flutes 18 in such wheel. Then in
finely divided portions it passes by centrifugal force down the flutes beneath the cover
plate, and is thus thrown in a fine disintegrated state through the check valve formed
by the ring 27, into the mercury bath. There the mercury immediately amalgamates
with the fine gold, silver &c. which it has every opportunity of doing owing to the
almost perfect mechanical separation of the gold and silver from the sand, and the
complete envelopment of the free metals by the mercury. The amalgam thus formed,
settles in the case of gold amalgam, to the bottom of the mercury space 17, silver and
other metals that are lighter than mercury and are capable of forming an amalgamı
therewith, readily forming an amalgam that will remain suspended in the mercury.
The drum 1 should be filled with mercury to a height slightly above the level of the
inner edge of the floor of the trough 41 the height of this level above the discharge
aperture from the feed wheel being ordinarily from three to twenty-four inches. The
sand rises to the surface of the mercury where it is met by the water issuing from the
reservoir through the holes 32 and with such water it passes the oscillating agitator
floats and out through the final discharge opening 44.
Apparatus according to this invention can be modified in its details without departure
from the essential features of the invention.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for treating finely divided metalliferous material for the purposes
of separation and amalgamation, a disintegrating feed wheel provided with upwardly
projecting ribs or walls which decrease in height towards their outer ends, and having
a cover plate secured over and extending to the inner ends of said ribs or walls
so as to form passage ways between the same, whether or not the inner ends of said
ribs or walls be formed with inwardly facing cutting edges, substantially as herein
described.
2. In an apparatus for treating finely divided metalliferous material for the purposes
of separation and amalgamation, the combination with a drum, a tubular cover and a
pedestal arranged to form an inner disintegrating chamber and an outer amalgamating
and separating chamber, and a flexible check-valve arranged at the outer periphery of
the said disintegrating chamber for the purpose mentioned, of a feed wheel such as
referred to in the preceding claim having an annular recess 15ª arranged directly below
the annular passage way formed between the cylindrical part of the feed-wheel and the
tubular cover, substantially as herein described.
3. In an apparatus of the kind referred to in claim 2, the combination with the
tubular cover and the feed wheel having ribs and flutes and provided with a recess
at 15, of the annular projection 26 carried by the tubular cover and arranged to project
downward into the said recess and in front of the inner ends of the ribs and flutes,
substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
4. In an apparatus of the kind referred to for treating finely divided metalliferous

page_text: material for the purposes of separation and amalgamation, the combination with a drum
provided with a mercury space, and a feed-wheel whereby material is fed into such
mercury-space, of a trough encircling said drum, communicating at its lower end with
the mercury space therein, and provided with a discharge passage substantially as
herein described for the purpose specified.
5. In an apparatus of the kind referred to in claim 2, the combination with the
tubular cover of a water reservoir connected to and arranged above and coaxially with
that cover, and formed with openings through which water can be discharged upon the
surface of the mercury in the amalgamating and separating chamber substantially as
described and shewn for the purpose set forth.
6. In an apparatus of the kind herein described, the combination with the tubular
cover and feed-wheel, of a feed hopper containing a feed regulating valve so constructed
and arranged that sand or material to be treated can be fed to the feed wheel without
admission of air substantially as herein described for the purpose set forth.
7. In an apparatus of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the tubular
cover and the disintegrating feed wheel having covered passage ways therethrough,
of a feed pipe by which mercury-quickening chemical can be fed to the feed wheel at
the inner ends of its ribs or walls substantially as set forth.
8. In an apparatus of the kind herein described the combination of a drum having
a mercury space, a feed wheel, a tubular cover with water reservoir fitted in said drum
or casing, and agitating plates movably supported in the drum at a point above the
mercury therein, and whether with or without the fixed plates 46 substantially as herein
described.
9. The combination in an apparatus for treating finely divided metalliferous material
for the purposes of separation and amalgamation, of a drum, a trough 41 encircling said
drum, communicating with the mercury space therein, and provided with a discharge
passage, an inner tubular cover, a water reservoir, a pedestal, a disintegrating feed
wheel, an agitator, and means for operating the same, the arrangement being such that
disintegrated material will be caused to pass from the said wheel into a mercury bath
and portions rising out of the said bath will be acted upon by the agitator substantially
in the manner herein described for the purposes specified.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved apparatus
herein described and shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed for treating
finely divided metalliferous material for the purposes of separation and amalgamation.
Dated this 7th day of August 1890.
W. LLOYD WISE.