Improvements in Amalgamators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Amalgamators.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
a communication to me from abroad by The Wise Mining and Milling Company
of the City of East St. Louis, in the State of Illinois, one of the United States of
North America, to be as follows :-
:-
This machine is intended specially for working placer ground.
The first part of the invention consists in a novel construction of vibrating
amalgamating plate.
The second part of the invention consists in the construction of the device which
I call a metal-saver, over which the material passes after leaving the amalgamating
plate, the same having a chamber containing compressed air, which percolates through
the meshes of the porous top of the chamber. The invention also contains certain
other novel details of construction.
The main frame may have any suitable construction to give support to the working
parts of the machine. It may be formed with uprights, longitudinal bars, and
transverse bars. It may also have side walls or casing.
It is provided with a hopper, which may or may not have an inclined sheet of wire
work, acting as a sieve to throw out any matters too large to pass through the meshes
of the sieve. A slide extends the whole width of the hopper mouth to control the
amount of material escaping through the mouth. The hopper is lined with sheet iron
or other suitable material. The slide is moved by a screw with a hand wheel or crank.
The material falls from the mouth of the hopper upon the amalgam plate, which forms
the lining of a case or frame, which may be of wood, and which is set at an angle
of about 45 degrees, so that the material will pass downward in it as it is shaken.
The amalgam plate, with its case or box, will be called the vibrator; it is supported
by steel springs, attached at one end to the sides of the vibrator, and at the
other end to the frame or casing of the machine. These springs allow its transverse
vibration. The suspending springs extend from the upper part of the vibrator in the
direction of. its length; the springs extend upwardly at about right angles to the
vibrator. It will be seen that the hangers not only support the upper end of
the vibrator, but prevent its end wise movement. The bottom of the amalgam
plate is formed in transverse ridges or riffles, which I prefer to make with the salient
edges, about one inch apart. The height of the riffles may properly be about
one-fourth of an inch, with an inward inclination of about one eighth of an inch,
making a recess, which is supplied with mercury for purposes of amalgamation.
The sides of the amalgam plate are soldered to the bottom, and the whole of the
exposed surface of the plate is silver plated, so as to protect the solder and the
body of the plate from the action of the mercury. The sides of the amalgam plate
are bent over the sides of the case and made fast by screws or other means. At
the lower end of the vibrator is a transverse bar or brace, space being left beneath
this bar for the passage of the material. There is a leather or other flexible lip
which hangs from the bar and which prevents the horizontal projection of the material
forcing its vertical descent upon the metal-saver. The metal-saver bas a box with
sides extending above the top of the surface over which the material passes. There
are a number of inclined longitudinal metal bars, whose ends are set in the front and
back walls of the box. Over the bars is stretched a wire frame of about one fourth
inch mesh; over this frame is placed a sheet of porous rubber or bagging or cloth,
and above this sheet is placed a wire sheet, having a mesh from 40 upward, according
to material treated. The sheet of rubber, bagging &c. is to prevent the wear of the
wire sheet by friction against the wire frame."

page_text: On the top of the wire sheet are a number of transverse brass or copper rods,
which are electro-plated and amalgamated. These rods are preferably of various
diameters, increasing from the receiving to the discharging end of the metal saver.
The rods are from one to three inches apart, and are fitted at the ends in notches or
grooves with wooden strips screwed down upon them to hold them in place.
A number of longitudinal wooden strips are secured over the brass or copper rods
to assist in keeping them in place. The top of the surface of the metal saver has a
fall of eight inches, more or less, from the receiving to the discharging end. The
inner wall of the metal saver box has two holes for the entrance of air from the
bellows chambers. These boles are fitted with inwardly opening valves, preventing
the regurgitation of the air. The bellows has bottom and top boards, which are
fixed in position and which have air holes controlled by inwardly opening valves.
As a means for holding the bottom and top boards in place, bars are secured to said
top and bottom boards and their ends are attached to the casing at each side of the
machine. The interior of the bellows is separated into upper and lower chambers by
a moveable center-board, hinged by a strip of leather or other flexible material that
will prevent the air passing from one chamber to the other. The outer edge of the
centre board is connected to the edges of the bottom and top boards by leather or
other flexible air tight material, as usual in bellows, so that when the centre board is
moved upward and downward, the air is forced alternately from the bellows chambers
into the metal-saver box, and percolates through the porous top of the box, composed
of the wire frame, porous sheet and wire sheet. As the material from the amalgam
plate passes over the wire sheet, it is borne up by the stratum of air ascending
through the small meshes of this sheet, and so flows steadily down the inclined
surface, being mixed as it proceeds, so that all parts of it are brought in contact with
the amalgamated rods; any mercury present in the material is arrested by the rods,
and thus withdrawn from the mass of earthy material, and is thus saved. In caso any
particles of metal are present in the material, their specific gravity keeps them down
upon the wire sheet, and they are detained by the amalgamated rods, and thus the
particles of metal are saved.
As a means of moving the free end of the centre board, arms in the form of
brackets extend from the board and have parallel bearing faces, which bear upon top
and bottom of a crank upon a shaft. The arm frame is attached to the board by
angle irons or brackets. The attachment is made by screw bolts, so that the frame
may be removed. Spiral springs extend from the free end of the centre board to one
of the cross bars; their object is to counterbalance the weight of the board and frame
sufficiently to equalize its up and down stroke and relieve the downward pressure
upon the crank.
A fly wheel is fixed on the crank shaft and a spur pinion thereon engages with a
spur wheel upon the main shaft, to which power may be applied either by a hand
crank or by a belt through means of a pulley on said shaft; or if preferred, power
may be directly applied to any other shaft of the machine. The spur pinion or wheel
on the crank shaft engages a spur wheel on a shaft, which carries a disc having a
number of wrist pin holes at various distances from the centre, so as to give means
for varying the stroke of the wrist pin. To this wrist pin is strapped or otherwise
connected one end of a connecting rod, whose other end is connected with one arm of
a bell crank; the other arm of the bell crank is connected by a rod or link. to the
side of the vibrator, so as to cause its vibration. The bell crank is hinged to a
bracket.
OL 1
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Amalgamators.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County
of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communi-
cation to me from abroad by The Wise Mining and Milling Company of the City of
East St. Louis in the State of Illinois, one of the United States of North America,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to he particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement reference being had to the accompanying
drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon :-
This machine is intended specially for working placer ground. The first part of
the invention consists in a novel construction of vibrating amalgamating plate. The
second part of the invention consists in the construction of the device, which I call a
metal-saver, over which the material passes after leaving the amalgamating-plate, the
same baving a chamber containing compressed air which percolates through the
meshes of the porous top of the chamber. The invention also contains certain other
novel details of construction, as indicated by the claim.
Figure I is an elevation of the machine.
Figure II is a side elevation of the machine.
Figure III is a view, showing the coarse wire-work of the hopper.
Figure IV is a top view of the machine.
Figure V is a horizontal section at V, V, figure 7, with the vibrator removed.
Figure VI is a detail vertical section, at VI, VI, Figure II.
Figure VII is a longitudinal, vertical section, at VII, VII, Figure IV.
Figure VIII is a horizontal section of the metal-saver, at VIII, VIII, Figure IX.
Figure IX is a vertical section, at IX, IX, Figuro VIII.
Figure X is an enlarged detail section through meshes of the screen.
Figure XI is an enlarged detail longitudinal section of part of the amalgamating-
plate and box.
Figure XII is an enlarged detail transverse section through one side of the amalga-
mating-box and plate.
The main frame may have any suitable construction to give support to the working
parts of the machine. It is shown with uprights 1, longitudinal bars 2, and trans-
verse bars 3. It has also side walls or casing 4 and 5.
It is provided with a hopper 6 which may or may not have an inclined sheet 7 of
wire-work, acting as a sieve to throw out any matters too large to pass through the
meshes of the sieve. 8 is a slide extending the whole width of the hopper-mouth 9,
to control the amount of material escaping through the mouth. The hopper is lined
with sheet-iron, or other suitable material. The slide 8 is moved by a screw 10, with
a hand-wheel or crank 11. The material falls from the mouth of the hopper upon the
amalgam-plate 12, which forms the lining of a case or frame 13, which may be of
wood, and which is set an angle of about 45 degrees, so that the material will pass
downward in it, as it is shaken. The amalgam-plate with its case or box will be called
the vibrator; it is supported by steel springs 14 and 15, attached at oue end 16 to the
sides 18 of the vibrator, and at the other end 17 to the frame or casing of the
machine.
These springs allow its transverse vibration. The suspending springs 14 extend
from the upper part of the vibrator in the direction of its length; the springs 15,
extend upwardly at about right angles to the vibrator. It will be seen that the hangers 14
not only support the upper end of the vibrator, but prevent its endwise movement.
The bottom of the amalgam-plate is formed in transverse ridges or riffles 19, which I
prefer to make with the salient edges, at 19, about one inch apart. The height of the
riffles may properly be about one-fourth of an inch, with an inward inclination of
about one-eighth of an inch, making a recess 20, which is supplied with mercury for
purposes of amalgamation, (see Figures VII and XI). The sides 21 of the amalgam-
plate are soldered to the bottom, and the whole of the exposed surface of the plate is

page_text: 28 are a
silver-plated so as to protect the solder and the body of the plate from the action if the
mercury. The sides 21 of the amalgam plate are bent over the sides 18 of the case,
At the lower end of the vibrator is a
and made fast by screws 22, or other means.
transverse har or brace 23, spaco 24 being left beneath this bar for the passage of the
material. 25 is a leather, or other flexible lip, which hangs from the bar, and which 5
prevents the horizontal projection of the material forcing its vertical descent upon the
metal-saver, (see Figures 1 and VII). The metal saver has a box 26, with sides 27.
extending above the top of the surface, over which the material passes.
number of inclined longitudinal metal bars, whose ends are set in the front and back
walls of the box 26. Over the bars is stretched a wire-frame 29 of about one-fourth 1
inch mesh; Over this frame is placed a sheet of porous rubber, or hagging, or cloth 30,
and above this sheet is placed a wire-sheet 31, having a mesh from 40 upward,
according to material treated. The sheet 30 of rubber, bagging &c., is to prevent
the wear of the wire sheet 31, by friction against the wire-frame 29, (see Figures VIII,
IX and X).
On the top of the wire sheet 31, are a number of transverse brass or copper rods 32,
which are electro-plated and amalgamated. These rods are preferably of various
diameters, increasing from the receiving to the discharging end of the metal-saver.
The rods are from one to three inches apart, and are fitted at the ends in notches or
grooves with wooden strips 33 screwed down upon them to hold them in place. 34 are
a number of longitudinal wooden strips secured over the brass or copper rods 32 to
assist in keeping them in place. The top of the surface of the metal-saver has a fall
of eight inches, more or less, from the receiving to the discharging end. The inner
wall 35 of the metal saver box 26 has two holes 36 for the entrance of air from the
bellows-chambers 37. These holes are fitted with inwardly opening valves 38,
preventing the regurgitation of the air. The bellows has bottom and top-boards 39
and 40, which are fixed in position, and which have air-holes 41 controlled by inwardly-
opening valves 42, (see Figures V. VII and IX). As a means for bolding the bottom
and top boards 39 and 40 in place, bars are secured to said top and bottom-boards, and
their ends are attached to the casing 4 at each side of the machine (see Figures V
and VI). The interior of the bellows separated into upper and lower chambers 37,
by a moveable centre-board 43 hinged at 44, by a strip of leather, or other flexible
material, that will prevent the air passing from one chamber 37 to the other. The
outer edge of the centre-board 43 is connected to the edges of the bottom and top
boards 39 and 40 by leather or other flexible, air-tight material, 45, as usual in bellows,
so that when the centre board 43 is moved upward and downward, the air is forced
alternately from the bellows chambers 37 into the metal-saver box 26, and percolates
through the porous top of the box, composed of the wire-frame 29, porous-sheet 30
and wire sheet 31. As the material from the amalgam-plate passes over the wire-
sheet 31, it is borne up by the stratum of air ascending through the small meshes of
this sheet, and so flows steadily down the inclined surface, being mixed as it proceeds
so that all parts of it are brought in contact with the amalgamated rods 32, any
mercury present in the material is arrested by the rods, and thus withdrawn from the
mass of earthy material, and is thus saved. In case any particles of metal are presen
in the material, their specific gravity keeps them down upon the wire-sheet 31, and
they are detained by the amalgamated rods 32, and thus the particles of metal ar
saved.
As a means of moving the free end of the centre board 43, arms 44 in the form o
brackets, extend from the board and have parallel bearing faces 45, which bear upo
top and bottom of a crank 46, upon a shaft 47. The arm frame is attached to th
board by angle-irons or brackets 48, (see Figures 11, V, and VII). The attachmen
is made by screw bolts, so that the frame may be removed. 49 are spiral-spring
which extend from the free end of the centre board 43 to one of the cross-bars 3, an
whose object is to counterbalance the weight of the board and frame sufficiently
equalize its up and down stroke and relieve the downward pressure upon the crank
(see Figures II, V and VII).
50 is a fly wheel on the crank shaft 47 and 51 is a spur-pinion thereon engagin

page_text: with a spur-wheel 52 upon the main-shaft 53, to which power may be applied either
by a hand-crank 54, or by a belt through means of a pulley on said shaft; or if
preferred, power may be directly applied to any other shaft of the machine. The
spur-pinion or wheel on the crank-shaft 51 engages a spur-wheel 55 on a shaft 56
which carries a disc 57 having a number of wrist-pin-holes 58 at various distances
from the centre, so as to give means for varying the stroke of the wrist-pin 59.
To this wrist-pin is strapped, or otherwise connected, one end of a connecting
rod 60, whose other end is connected with one arm of a bell-crank 61; the other arm
of the bell-crank is connected by a rod or link 62 to the side 18 of the vibrator, so as
to cause its vibration. 63 is a bracket to which the bell-crank is hinged.
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 amalgamator, the amalgamating-plate 12 having transverse riffles with
recesses for mercury in its bottom-plate and having sides 21 secured to the bottom-
plate and extending upwardly therefrom, and having the exposed surface of the
bottom and sides silver-plated, for the purpose set-forth.
2. In an amalgamator, the vibrator composed of an amalgamating-plate 12 with
its bottom plate formed into riffles and having sides 21, and the supporting frame 13,
with means for moving the vibrator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination, in an amalgamator, of a vibrator supported on flexible
hangers 14 and 15 extending in different directions from the vibrator, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
4. In an amalgamator, the combination of the vibrator, the bell-crank 61, connecting
rod 60, the rotary disc 57 having wrist-pin holes 58 at different distances from the
centre of the disc, and wrist-pin 59 adapted for engaging in the holes 58, for the
purpose set forth.
5. In an amalgamator, the combination of a closed box 26 having an inclined
porous cover over which the material passes and adapted to allow the escape of air
from the box, and a device adapted to force air into the box, substantially as, and for
the purpose set forth.
6. The combination of the box 26 having an inclined porous top for the passage of
material over it, composed of a sheet of fine wire-work with porous support, and a
device for forcing air into the box and through the fine wire work of the top, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination of the box 26 with means for forcing air into it and the inclined
porous cover for the passage of the material, composed of the supporting bars 28,
wire-frame 29, porous material 30, and fine wire-work 31, substantially as set
forth.
8. The box 26 having an inclined porous cover for the passage of material having
an upper surface of fine wire-work 31, and transverse amalgamated rods lying upon
the surface 31, and means for forcing air into the box, for the purpose set forth.
9. The combination in an amalgamator, of the device for saving metal composed of
a box 26 with an inclined porous top, with means for forcing air into the box, and the
vibrator arranged to discharge material upon the higher part of the porous top, sub-
stantially as, id for the purpose set forth.
10. The combination of the box 26, having an inclined porous top with amalgamated
rods 32 across it, means for forcing air into the box and upward through the porous
cover, and vibrator discharging upon the top of the porous cover, substantially as,
and for the purpose set forth.
11. An amalgamator having a box 26 with an inclined porous cover 28, 29, 30, 31,
receiving material from the vibrating amalgamating plate 12, and double-action
bellows constructed and arranged to force air into the box 26, and through the porous
cover, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. The combination, with the box 26 having an inclined porous cover, and the
bellows having two fixed boards 39, 40, a centre-board 43 and the frame secured to

page_text: the centre-board, and having arms 44 embracing the revolving-crank 46, substantially
as, and for the purpose set forth.
13. The combination in. an amalgamator, of a surface over which the material
passes, and removable amalgamated rods upon such surface laid across the line of
movement of the material, for the purpose set forth.
14. The combination in an amalgamator of the crank shaft with crank 46, the
bellows with centre-board actuated by the crank, the compressed air-box 26, with
porous, inclined top, receiving air from the bellows, the vibrator having an amal
gamating-plate 12, the hell-crank 61 having one arm connected to the vibrator and
the other to moveable wrist-pin 57, and the rotating disc 55 with wrist-pin holes at
different distances from the centre, substantially as set forth.
Dated this th
1000
B. J. B. MILLS..
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.