A NEW OR IMPROVED AMALGAMATING APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Kirby Huntington of King's College Strand and
Walter Edward Koch of Pilbeach Gardens Kensington,' both in the county of
Middlesox for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED AMALGAMATING
APPARATUS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Kirby Huntington
and Walter Edward Koch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 7th April 1883.
ALFRED KIRBY HUNTINGTON of Kings College Strand and WALTER EDWARD
Koc of Philbeach Gardens Kensington, both in the County of Middlesex
"A NEW OR IMPROVED AMALGAMATING APPARATUS "
Our invention relates to apparatus for separating by amalgamation particles of
precious metal from pulverised ores or tailings, the object which we have in view
being to provide for thorough exposure of these particles to the action of the
amalgamating metal, and for conducting the amalgamation as a continuous
operation
For this purpose we provide a cylindrical vessel or pan containing the amalga-
mating metal which may be mercury, or which may be molten lead or other
suitable molten metal, the pan in the latter case being kept sufficiently heated and
being supplied with producer or other combustible gas to prevent oxidation of the
molten metal. Centrally within the pan we mount a revolving tube which at its
upper end has a funnel mouth, and at its lower end has projecting tubular arms
each having an elongated lateral aperture or slit at that side of it which is the
hinder side relatively to the direction of, revolution. On the tube is also fixed
above the level of the amalgamating metal a recurved arm with tines projecting
down from it, and through the side of the pan facing this arm is an outlet for
discharge. The pulverised ore or tailings being fed continuously into the funnel
mouth of the tube descends the tube and issues by the slits of the projecting arms;
it rises in subdivided streams through the amalgamating metal and, collecting
above it, is raked by the tines and recurved arm and finally discharged through
the lateral outlet. During the ascent of the ore or tailings through the amalga-
mating metal and the raking of it above the particles of precious metal are mostly
retained in the amalgamating metal, and when this is sufficiently saturated it can
be wholly or partly run off by a pipe leading from the bottom of the pan, fresh
metal being supplied to take its place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Kirby Huntington and Walter Edward Koch in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th October 1883.
ALFRED KIRBY HUNTINGTON of Kings College Strand and WALTER EDWARD
KOCH of Philbeach Gardens Kensington, both in the County of Middlesex
"A NEW OR IMPROVED AMALGAMATING APPARATUS "
Our invention relates to apparatus for separating by amalgamation particles of
precious metal from pulverised ore or tailings, the object which we have in view
being to provide for thorough exposure of these particles to the action of the
a continuous
amalgamating metal, and for conducting the amalgamation as
operation.
For this purpose, we provide a vessel or pan containing the amalgamating metal
which may be mercury, or which may be molten lead or other suitable molten
metal, the pan in the latter case being kept sufficiently heated and being supplied
with producer gas or other combustible gas to prevent oxidation of the molten
metal. Centrally within the pan we mount a revolving tube which has at its
lower end projecting tubular arms each having an elongated lateral aperture or slit
at that side of it which is the hinder side relatively to the direction of revolution.
The pulverised ore or tailings being fed continuously into the tube descends the
tube and issuing by the slits of the projecting arms rises in subdivided streams
through the amalgamating metal. During the ascent of the ore or tailings through
the amalgamating metal the particles of precious metal are mostly retained in the
amalgamating metal, and when this is sufficiently saturated it can be wholly or
partly run off by a pipe loading from the bottom of the pan, fresh metal being
supplied to take its place.
In cases where it is desired to pass the ore or tailings repeatedly through the
amalgamating metal we make a lateral slit in the side of the vertical tube near the
top of the pan. The uppermost portions of the ore or tailings floating above the
amalgamating metal enter this slit, and descend the tube to be ejected by the
tubular arms and to rise again through the amalgamating metal, and this circulation
may be continued as long as is necessary for the amalgamation of the precious
metal. It is of advantage to provide in the pan perforated screens and ribs to
check rotation of the amalgamating metal and to ensure thorough exposure of all
the particles of the ore or tailings to the amalgamating action.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of an amalgamating
apparatus according to our invention arranged for the passage of the ore or tailings
once through the amalgamating metal. Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the
apparatus modified so as to cause the ore or tailings to pass repeatedly through
the amalgamating metal. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan shewing the central tube and
its projecting tubular arms, which are shewn to an enlarged scale in plan at Fig. 4,
in front view at Fig. 5 and in transverse section on Z Z at Fig. 6. A is the pan
or amalgamating vessel having at the bottom a tapping hole B for running off the
amalgam, and at the top an outlet C for discharge of the spent ore or tailings.
D is the cover and E is the vertical tube surmounted by a hopper F through
which the ore or tailings are fed. G is a stationary sleeve within which the
tube E is caused to revolve by a belt driving a pulley I or other convenient means.
Within the pan are fixed horizontal and vertical perforated screens H to prevent
rotation of the contents and ensure their thoroughly mingling. K K are the
tubular arms each made of a tapering ovate form with an elongated slit k on the
hiuder side relatively to the direction of rotation as indicated in Fig. 3. In

page_text: operating with the apparatus arranged as shewn in Fig. 1, the ore or tailings are
continuously fed to the hopper F; they descend the tube E and are ejected from
the slits of the arms K, so that they are mingled with and rise through the
amalgamating metal, the spent material being discharged by the outlet C. The
heavier portions of the amalgam, which are most saturated with the precious metal,
mostly collect at the bottom under the lowest of the screens H in comparative
repose, whence they are from time to time run off by opening the tapping hole B.
In the modified form of the apparatus shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, a slit e is cut through
the side of the tube E, the stationary sleeve G-is supported on perforated ribs L
projecting from the sides of the pan, and the material to be operated on is fed from
time to time through a hopper M on the cover of the pan. In operating with this
apparatus, the discharge outlet C is closed, and a charge of ore or tailings is fed in
by the hopper M. It enters the tube by the slit e descends it and, being ejected
by the slits k, rises through the amalgamating metal, and this goes on continuously
until the material is sufficiently treated, whereupon it is mostly raked out through
the outlet C, and this being closed, another charge is dealt with in the same way.
When mercury is used as the amalgamating metal, the pan or vessel may be of
wood or iron, and dry or moist ore or tailings may be treated as described. When
melted lead or other melted metal is used for amalgamating, the pan or vessel is
necessarily of iron kept sufficiently heated, and in order to prevent oxidation of
the amalgamating metal, a pipe conducts to the upper part of the vessel producer
gas or combustible gas, so that the contents are kept in a deoxidating atmosphere.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, we hereby declare that we make no general claim to amalga-
mating apparatus wherein the ore is ejected from nozzles of a vertical tube revolving
in the amalgamating metal, but we claim :-
First. In amalgamating apparatus consisting of a vessel in which revolves a
vertical tube with tubular arms for ejecting the ore or tailings, constructing
these arms of tapering ovate form with elongated slits along their hinder sides,
substantially as herein described and illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
Second. The construction of amalgamating apparatus arranged for continuous
working, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1.
Third. The construction of amalgamating apparatus arranged for repeated action
on a charge of ore or tailings, substantially as described with reference to Figs 2
and 3.
In Witness whereof I the said Alfred Kirby Huntington have hereunto set iny
hand and seal this Second day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.