Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Extracting Precious Metals from their Ores.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Extracting Precious Metals
from their Ores.
I, FREDERICK WEBB of 58 Thrush Street Manor Place Walworth in the County
of Surrey Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide simple and efficient apparatus for the
extraction of precious metals from their ores by the use of chemical solutions and
consists of means whereby the ore from which the metal is to be extracted is
caused to reciprocate to and fro in the solution in a loose or disentegrated condition
the solution being thus enabled to more effectually act upon it.
According to my invention I place the ore to be treated in a closed vessel or
hollow piston fitted to slide in an outer vessel or cylinder containing the chemical
solution. The closed chamber or hollow piston containing the ore is perforated
on its two opposite sides the said perforations being covered with filter cloth to
prevent the ore from passing through the perforations. Man holes are provided in
both the inner chamber or hollow piston and in the outer vessel or cylinder
through which man holes the ore is introduced and the tailings discharged from the
chamber.
Reciprocating motion may be given to the inner chamber or hollow piston
by means of a crank and connecting rod or by any other convenient means so
as to cause the chemical solution to pass through and through the inner chamber
and saturate the ore contained therein thereby concentrating the metal and enabling
the solution to efficiently act upon it.
Any desired number of these vessels may be arranged side by side and made to
communicate one with another by vulcanite or other suitable pipes so that the
solution may pass from one vessel to another in succession throughout the series.
The solution may be forced through the vessels under pressure and caused to
circulate therethrough for any desired period.
Each vessel or cylinder is capable of being partially rotated on trunnions by
means of a worm and worm wheel or other suitable means to facilitate the
discharge of the tailings from the inner chamber or hollow piston. For treating
ores containing gold either chlorine bromine iodine or potassium cyanide may be
employed.
15th 1---
1901
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Extracting Precious Metals
from their Ores.
1 FREDERICK WEBB late of 58 Thrush Street, Manor Place, Walworth now of
83 Bridge Road, Battersea in the County of Surrey 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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide simple and efficient apparatus for the
extraction of precious metals from their ores by the use of chemical solutions and
consists of means whereby the ore from which the metal is to be extracted is

page_text: caused to reciprocate to and fro in the solution in a loose or disintegrated
condition the solution being thus enabled to act upon it more effectually than
hitherto.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
premising however that I do not restrict myself thereto as variations may be made
therein without departing from the nature of my invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 is a vertical section of an apparatus
suitable for carrying out my invention.
A is a hollow vessel or piston fitted to slide or reciprocate inside an outer
vessel or cylinder B provided with a stuffing box C through which the piston
rod D passes. Reciprocation may be imparted to the said vessel or piston A by
any suitable means. In the arrangement shewn in the drawing the outer end of
the piston rod D is connected by a rod E to a crank or excentric pin F on a
toothed wheelf fast on a shaft G mounted in bearings H, and driven by gearing
pinion has shewn or otherwise from any suitable prime mover (not shewn in the
drawing) so as to impart the desired to and fro, or reciprocating, movements to the
said hollow vessel or piston A. The upper side of the hollow piston A is
provided with a tube or manhole I fitted to slide in a stuffing box K on the outer
vessel or cylinder B and provided at its outer end with a close fitting cover L.
The two opposite sides or ends a of the piston A are perforated the said perforations
being covered with filter cloth b. The outer vessel or cylinder B is supplied with
chlorine solution or other reagent for dissolving the precious metal by a pipe or
pipes c passing through hollow trunnions M on which the said vessel B can be
turned. The ore to be treated, after having been crushed to the desired extent,
is preferably first mixed with water or liquid so as to form sludge and is
then run into the hollow vessel or piston A through the tube or manhole I
and when sufficient ore is fed thereinto the manhole cover is closed and fixed
in position. The chlorine solution or other reagent is then passed preferably by
being forced by means of a pump, or other suitable forcing device, through one
of the pipes c into the outer chamber B until it is sufficiently charged with the
solution. The shaft G is then started rotating so as to impart through the
rods D and E reciprocating motion to the piston A containing the ore.
The reciprocating motions of the piston in the solution contained in the outer
vessel B cause the ore to be thoroughly mixed therewith and the heavier portions
with the precious metal to precipitate and concentrate at the lower part of the
interior of the piston A and this facilitates the action of the chemical reagent or
solution upon the metals. The reciprocating motions given to the piston is continued
for the necessary time usually some hours after which the solution is forced out of
the vessel B and clean water is admitted to wash the ore in the piston A free from
all solution containing precious metal. When the ore is sufficiently washed the
water is forced from the vessel B to be treated with the solution previously run off
in any suitable way for recovering the precious metal therefrom, after which the
connecting rod E is uncoupled and the cover L of the tube or man hole I is removed.
The vessel B together with the piston A is then partially rotated on the trunnions M
so as to cause the ore to pass from the piston A through the manhole I into any
suitable receiver or onto the ground. The vessel B is then returned to its former
position and the connecting rod E is coupled up as before the piston A. being then
ready to receive a fresh charge of ore through the manhole I for treatment as
herein before described.
The partial rotation of the vessel B on its trunnions may be effected by means
of a worm d and worm wheel or segment e as shewn or by any other suitable
means.
Any desired number of vessels B with pistons A as described may be arranged
side by side and made to communicate one with another by vulcanite or other suit-
able pipes connected to the pipes c so that the solution may pass from one vessel to
another in succession through the series, and be caused to circulate therethrough

page_text: for any desired period. For treating ores containing gold, solutions of either
chlorine, bromine, iodine or potassium cyanide are suitable reagents to be
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In means or apparatus for extracting precious metals from their ores, a
hollow and perforated vessel or piston in which the crushed ore is placed and
caused to receive a reciprocatory or to and fro motion in an outer vessel or chamber
containing a chemical solution or reagent so that the precious metal contained in
or carried by the ore is thoroughly subjected to the action of the solution or reagent
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for extracting precious metals from their ores a hollow and
perforated piston or chamber in which the ore is placed, the said piston or
chamber being caused to reciprocate in a chemical solution or reagent contained
in a closed vessel capable of being partially rotated on trunnions substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
3. In apparatus for extracting precious metals from their ores a hollow and
perforated piston a chamber in which the ore to be treated is placed, the said piston
or chamber being caused to reciprocate in an outer closed chamber or vessel
containing a chemical solution or reagent, the said solution being admitted and
discharged from the interior of the said vessel through hollow trunnions on which
the vessel can be oscillated or partially rotated, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting an apparatus for
extracting precious metals from their ores substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of August 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.