An Improved Arrangement of the Amalgamated Plates Employed in the Treatment of Gold Ores, in the Supports for the same, and in Apparatus Connected therewith.
Year: 1887

page_text: An Improved Arrangement of the Amalgamated Plates Employed
in the Treatment of Gold Ores, in the Supports for the same,
and in Apparatus Connected therewith.
PERCY JOHN OGLE No. 4 Bishopsgate Street Within London E.C. Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in an improved arrangement of the amalgamated plates
employed in the treatment of gold ores, in the supports for the same; and in apparatus
connected therewith. One of the common defects in amalgamating devices in
general use is, that when the usual arrangement of amalgamated copper plates
rigidly fixed, is employed, the float or leaf-gold formed by the stamp is carried upon
the surface of the water; and thus does not come into actual contact with the
mercury and so is lost. The first part of my invention consists in the employment
of a series of short amalgamated copper plates, mounted upon a series of steps
or grades furnished with shelves or grooves; in which each plate slides allowing
the water carrying the crushed ore to fall from one to the other, and thus by the
action of gravity bringing the float or fine gold which is held in suspension into
actual contact with the amalgamated plates. This arrangement of drop plates as
described, causes the wash water to be frequently broken up, and the plates being
adjustable a fresh surface of mercury can be presented to the wash water so soon as
the attendant sees that the working surface has become inactive by saturation.
By pushing the amalgamated plates back in the grooves or on the shelves provided
for them, their entire surface can be utilized, and maintained in an active
condition.
The second part of my invention consists in mounting the frame carrying the
amalgamated plates upon a trolly, running upon rails, or their equivalent.
Dated November 24th 1887
FRANCIS M. ROGER,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Arrangement of the Amalgamated Plates Employed
in the Treatment of Gold Ores, in the Supports for the same,
and in Apparatus Connected therewith.
PERCY JOHN OGLE No. 4 Bishopsgate Street Within London E.C. Mechanical
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 :---
f
My Invention consists in an Improved arrangement of the amalgamated plates
employed in the treatment of Gold ores, in the supports for the same, and in
apparatus connected therewith.
One of the common defects in amalgamating devices in general use is, that when
the usual arrangement of amalgamated copper plates rigidly fixed is employed the
float or leaf gold formed by the stamp is carried upon the surface of the water,
and thus does not come into actual contact with the mercury and so is lost. The
first part of my invention consists in the employment of a series of short amalgamated
copper plates mounted upon a series of steps or grades, furnished with shelves
or grooves, in which each plate slides, allowing the water carrying the crushed ore
to fall from one to the other and thus by the action of gravity bringing the
float or fine gold which is held in suspension into actual contact with the
amalgamated plates.
This arrangement of drop plates as described causes the wash water to be
frequently broken up, and the plates being adjustable a fresh surface of mercury
can be presented to the wash water so soon as the attendant sees that the working
surface has become inactive by saturation. By pushing the amalgamated plates
back in the grooves or on the shelves provided for them, their entire surface can be
utilized and maintained in an active condition.
The second part of my invention consists in mounting the frame carrying the
amalgamated plates upon a trolly running upon rails or their equivalent.
By this means access to the mortar box for repairs and cleaning is more easily
attained, and considerable delay in such operations avoided.
In order to make clear the operation of my invention reference is made, to the
accompanying drawing in which :-
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a mortar box and trough, the short
amalgamated drop plates being mounted upon a trolly. as described.
Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation shewing a modified method of mounting the short
amalgamated drop plates.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts in each figure.
In Fig. 1. A is the mortar box Balice and crating
coring of chant

page_text: amalgamated drop plates mounted upon steps or grades, having shelves or grooves
formed in them, upon or within which each plate slides. C¹, Flat or Stationary
amalgamated plates. The water which enters the stamp box is discharged into
trough B, carrying with it the crushed ore which falls from one drop plate to the
other, and thus by the action of gravity the float or fine gold which is held in
suspension is brought into actual contact by impact with the series of amalgamated
plates C. This arrangement of drop plates causes the wash water to be more
frequently broken up and the plates being adjustable in the grooves or upon the
shelves D, a fresh surface of mercury can be presented to the wash water so soon as
the attendant sees that the working surface has become inactive by saturation.
By pushing the amalgamated plates back in the grooves or upon the shelves
provided for them, their entire surface can be utilized and maintained in an
active condition.
The second part of my invention consists in mounting the frame E, carrying
the amalgamated plates C, upon a trolly F, running upon rails 9, or their
equivalent.
By this means access to the mortar box A. for repairs and cleaning is more
easily attained and considerable delay in such operations avoided. The entire frame
carrying amalgamated plates being easily removed and replaced.
Fig. 2, shews another method of arranging the short amalgamated plates C,
they are adjustably mounted as previously described upon shelves or within grooves
upon the staging E. but are so arranged that the wash water shall be alternately
directed backwards and forwards over them.
I find that by this arrangement a large amount of light float gold, and mercury
which would otherwise be lost, is saved.
Two, or more sets or series of amalgamated plates constructed and arranged in
either form as described, can be employed if required. In this case I prefer to
arrange the additional set, so as to collect any float gold escaping in the tail
water at 2.
The arrangement shewn is in its simplest form, viz. with 5 or more plates in a
fixed position, but removable for the purpose of cleaning, an equivalent number of
adjustable plates on sliding shelves for the purpose of exposing the whole surface of
the amalgamated plates to the action of the water containing the crushed ore, and also
removable for the purpose of cleaning. This latter set of adjustable plates may be
mounted on a frame carried on slides or rollers for the purpose of adjusting them
all at the same time, by the means of levers, or screws, as may be found most
convenient. Sometimes 1 place the stationary plates C¹, before the adjustable
plate (.
The arrangement shewn in Fig. 2. may be used together with, or instead of the
arrangement in Fig. 1, or in conjunction with ordinary flat plates or it may be
solely used for the purpose of collecting the gold out of the tailings as they run from
the mill; in which case a distributor would be necessary to spread the stream evenly
over the surface of the plates.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my improvements, and
and in what manner the same are to be performed, I would wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to the exact detail shewn and described, as several
modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention, I
declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The combination with machinery for crushing gold ores, and extracting the
gold therefrom, of the particular arrangement of graded adjustable amalgamated
plates, mounted upon a trolly running on rails or their equivalent, substantially
as described.
2nd. Dripping plates in combination with the usual fixed or stationary plates, or
without, so that the light or float gold may be by gravity brought into contact with
the amalgamated plates as described.

page_text: 3rd. The combination in or with machinery for crushing gold ores, and extracting
the gold therefrom of the particular construction and arrangement of adjustable
amalgamated plates, said adjustable plates being mounted in one and the same, or a
separate frame, substantially as described under fig. 2.
4th. The method of operating either arrangement of adjustable amalgamated
plates together or separately by means of screw gear, lever, or equivalent device
as described.