An Improved Amalgamating Machine.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Amalgamating Machine.
I, ROBERT TAYLOR of King William Street, Adelaide in the Province of South
Australia, Inventor, 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 relates to an improved combined reciprocating amalgamating
and concentrating machine for auriferous ores the special object of the invention
being to provide a means whereby the gold and gold bearing particles may be
readily separated from the waste or gangue in crushed ore.
In order to achieve the object of the invention I construct a sloping tray or
table which is encased in a suitable frame the said frame being connected with
mechanical gearing for the purpose of giving a backward and forward reciprocating
motion thereunto. The motion of the table is in a horizontal plane and the
traverse is in the direction of the slope of the tray or table. Within the tray or
table certain riffles are arranged and consist essentially of recesses or wells for
mercury beyond which riffle plates are arranged. The mercury wells are covered
with a screen of fine gauze wire by aid whereof the mercury is continually kept
clean and in a fit state for amalgamation with the gold.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will now proceed to
describe the same in detail having reference to the accompanying illustrative
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my appliance suitable for manual labour.
Fig. 2 is a plan of same.
Fig. 3 side elevation of machine as applied to an ordinary stamp mill.
Fig. 4 section of table applicable to stamp mill shewing details of construction.
Fig. 5 part plan of sanie shewing alternative driving gear and bearings.
Similar letters of reference are used to denote like parts wherever they occur in
the drawings.
In my appliance A is the framework or foundation on which the superstructure
rests, and upon which brackets such as B₁ are arranged for the purpose of sup-
porting the horizontal slide rods B which work within the guides B. Within a
suitable table frame C5, I arrange a table consisting of one, two or more lengths
as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The said table or parts
thereof are so constructed as to enable them to be set at an angle to suit the quality
of the ore it is intended to treat. At convenient intervals along the tables, and at
right angles thereto the mercury wells C¹ are arranged (Fig. 4). Immediately
above the mercury wells and extending backward therefrom the gauze wire
screens Care placed, a narrow opening or space is left between the surface of
the trays and the underside of the gauze screen as shown. is a riffle plate,
C

page_text: preferably having its upper part so arranged as to form a horizontal step or surface
as illustrated. An adjustable splash board is attached to the riffle as shown at C.
D is a driving wheel for hand or engine power, and transmits motion to the
bevelled wheels Q and Q which in turn cause the shaft J to revolve. Upon the
said shaft the eccentric E is arranged so that by means of the connecting rods F
and a cross rod J the motion of the crank or eccentric is imparted to the frame (³
and to the tables arranged therein. With regard to Figs. 1 and 2 I provide a
feed hopper K which leads into a tube K' containing an archimedian screw tho
said archimedian screw is operated by means of a spur wheel L which is driven
by main toothed wheel M as will be well understood. In order to prevent the ore
from choking in the feed hopper I provide a choke rod N which works vertically
within the said hopper and is actuated by the levers and rods N and N in con-
nection with the eccentric gear K³ as shown in the drawings.
For the purpose of amalgamating the ore with mercury after it has passed over
the trays or tables I provide a hopper O which leads into a tube O' containing an
archimedian screw by means whereof the ore can be brought into contact with
mercury contained in the mercury box P. Motion is imparted to the archimedian
screw last mentioned by means of the pinion wheel M as will be well understood
from reference to Fig. I of the drawings. It is an outlet for spent ore.
In order to prevent any jarring of the machine when in work I provide suitable
buffing gear such as springs illustrated at L' in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
As an equivalent to and in lieu of parts of the driving gear above specified the
appliance may be worked direct froin an eccentric E as illustrated in Fig. 5
without departing from the nature of my invention, and if it is desired to use a
long and heavy table, wheels or roller bearings S may be used in lieu of or in
addition to the rods B above mentioned.
The method of applying my invention is as follows:-The tables and riffles
are amalgamated in the ordinary manner and mercury is placed in the various
mercury wells C. A backward and forward horizontal reciprocating motion is
imparted to the tables by means of the driving wheel D acting through the
crank or eccentric E and the intermediate gearing above described. The crushed
ore is then allowed to flow from the battery launder or other source of supply
along the surface of the table C. The heavy coarse gold in transit down the table.
passes under the screen C and enters direct into the mercury well C. The finer
gold passes over the gauze screens C3 and comes into contact with a portion of
the mercury which is slopped or splashed from the mercury wells C through the
meshes of the screen C3 or through the space between the screen and riffle at
each motion of the machine. As the mercury flows back again into the mercury
well C either through the meshes of the gauze or through the spaces at the front
or back thereof it carries the amalgamated gold with it. Other particles of gold
are retarded by the rifle splash boards C and in falling back are retained by
the amalgamated step of the riffle plate C. The constant agitation of the mercury
and its frequent passage through the gauze wire screen keeps the surface bright
and clear so that it readily amalgamates with the gold. All the fine gold and
gold bearing particles which escape the first rifle are again treated by subsequent
riffles in the manner above described. The meshes of the screens and the height
of the rifle splash boards are adjusted to suit the fineness of the gold it is desired
to save at any particular part of the table and the spent ore or waste flows away
through the outlet R.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 the ore is prevented from accumulating in and
choking up the feed hopper K by means of the choke rod N which constantly
moves up and down through the ore the motion being obtained by the rods M
and M actuated by the eccentric K³ as will be well understood. By this means
the supply of ore to the archimedian feed screw in the tube K¹ remains constant.
The spent ore finds its way into the mercury contained in the mercury chamber P
by means of the hopper O and the archimedian screw contained in the tube O' as
will be well understood.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. In an improved combined reciprocating concentrating and amalgamating
machine a table frame such as C5 mounted upon and in combination with hori-
zontal slide rods such as B the said table frame being provided with trays or tables
such as C substantially as described and illustrated.
2nd. In an improved combined reciprocating concentrating and amalgamating
machine as hereinbefore described the above claimed parts in combination with
connecting rods such as F. and means whereby the same are caused to impart a
horizontal reciprocating motion to the table frame.
3rd. In an improved combined reciprocating concentrating and amalgamating
machine as herein described a gauze wire screen or screens such as C3 arranged
above and in combination with a mercury well or mercury wells such as C' as and
for the purposes set forth.
4th. In an improved combined reciprocating concentrating and amalgamating
machine a stepped riffle plate such as C3 and an adjustable splash board in
combination therewith substantially as described.
5th. In an improved combined reciprocating concentrating and amalgamating
machine a choke rod such as M in combination with a lever and rod such as M'
and 2 and the eccentric K³ as and for the purposes set forth.
6th. The herein specified combined reciprocating concentrating and amalga-
mating machine substantially as described and illustrated as and for the purposes
set forth as a combination of parts.
Dated this 21st day of December 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.