CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR ÅMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER OR THE ORES THEREOP
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mosheimer, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY POR ÅMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER OR THE ORES THEREOP."
Sealed the 28th January 1868, and dated the 2nd September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mosheimer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd September 1862.
I, JOSEPH MOSHEIMER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER, OR THE ORES THEREOF,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the machinery employed in the separation of gold
and silver from their ores by the agency of mercury, and consists, first, in the
use of metal mullers revolving in a circular pan or annular trough, the bottom
of which is flat, or nearly so, and upon which the materials to be triturated
and amalgamated are spread. The mullers consist of suitably shaped blocks
of metal, or of wood and metal shod with a plate of iron or steel, which is
grooved or channelled on its under surface; any suitable number, as, for
example, four, of such mullers being attached to a cross head fixed on a
vertical shaft in the centre of the pan, suitable arrangements being made for
raising or lowering the cross head on the shaft for the purpose of regulating
the distance between the under surface of the mullers and the bottom of the

page_text: trough. A groove or grooves is formed in the bottom of the pan for holding
mercury, and channels lined with copper are formed in the upright sides of the
pan in which the amalgam collects, and may be removed at intervals. A
number of these machines may be arranged side by side, and driven by one
shaft passing underneath the pans, and gearing with the upright shafts to
which the mullers are attached, the pans being supported upon feet, and con-
nected at the top to form a continuous table.
A second part of the Invention consists in admitting steam to a space
underneath the bottom of the pan, for the purpose of facilitating the amalga-
mation of the metals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Mosheimer in the Groat Seal Patent Office on the
27th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
MOSHEIMER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Iler
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Mosheimer, Her special license, that I, the said Joseph Mosheimer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Mosheimer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER, OR THE ORES
THEREOF," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Joseph
Mosheimer, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Mosheimer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to the machinery employed in the separation of gold
and silver from their ores by the agency of mercury, and consists, first, in the
use of metal mullers revolving in a circular pan or annular trough, the bottom
of which is flat, or nearly so, and upon which the materials to be triturated
and amalgamated are spread. The mullers consist of suitably shaped blocks
of metal, or of wood and metal shod with a plate of iron or steel, which is
grooved or channelled on its under surface, any suitable number, as, for
example, four, of such mullers being attached to a cross head fixed on a
vertical shaft in the centre of the pan, suitable arrangements being made for
raising or lowering the cross head on the shaft, for the purpose of regulating
the distance between the under surface of the mullers and the bottom of the
trough. A groove or grooves is formed in the bottom of the pan for holding
mercury, and channels lined with copper are formed in the upright sides of the
pan in which the amalgam collects, and may be removed at intervals. A
number of these machines may be arranged side by side, and driven by one
shaft passing underneath the pans, and gearing with the upright shafts to
which the mullers are attached, the pans being supported upon feet, and
connected at the top to form a continuous table.
A second part of the Invention consists in admitting steam to a spaco
underneath the bottom of the pan, for the purpose of facilitating the amalga-
mation of the metals.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I bave hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about one inch and a half to the foot, and having similar letters of reference
marked upon corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved machinery for crushing and
amalgamating, and thereby separating gold or silver from their ores; Fig. 2
is a sectional view of the saine, shewing the chamber for receiving the ore and
the mullers or grinding blocks, with channelled under surfaces revolving
therein, also the means for raising and adjusting the mullers by means of the
screw, the method of driving also being clearly shewn in this Figure; Fig. 3
is a plan view of the same.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a, a, is the framing of the machine; b, the main
driving shaft, which imparts motion by means of the bevel gearing c to the
vertical shaft carrying the mullers or grinders d, by which means they are
caused to rotate in the chamber or receptacle e containing the ore to be
crushed and the mercury. These mullers may either be made of metal alono,

page_text: or combined with wood, or shod with steel, but it is necessary to groove or
channel the lower or grinding surface, the distance of which from the bottom
of the receptacle e is regulated by means of the screw and nut f. In the
bottom of the chamber or receptacle a groove 9 or grooves are formed to
contain the mercury, so that as the ores, quartz, and other auriferous or
argentiferous substances are reduced by the action of the mullers, the particles
of gold or silver become amalgamated with the mercury, and may be removed
as it collects from the vertical channels g' in the receptacle, as shewn in
Fig. 8. Any number of these machines may be placed and driven side by
side, each separate machine being provided with a disconnecting lever h. In
the space i beneath the bottom of the grinding chamber steam is employed to
assist in the process of amalgamation.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim the novel arrangement, combination, and construction
of machinery for amalgamating auriferous and argentiferous substances, as
procured by crushing or grinding from their ores, either combined or un-
combined with steam, as hercin-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated
in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mosheimer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOSEPH MOSHEIMER. (L.S.)