Improvements in Washing and Separating Diamonds, Ores, Gold, Silver, Copper, and other Metals from the Earthy Matter in which they are Found.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1890-Accented, 25th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing and Separating Diamonds, Ores, Gold,
Silver, Copper, and other Metals from the Earthy Matter in
which they are Found.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DUNCAN, of Coalbrookdale, in the County of Salop, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The principles upon which this invention is based, are the laws pertaining to
gravitation, imomentum, impact, impulse, accumulative force, and the collision of
bodies.
1 will describe the arrangements, I use to utilize in combination, or singly, the
six above named forces, or any one, or more of them, in a machine, which is suitable
to operate upon quartz rock, and the like after it has been crushed more, or less fine,
by the ordinary stamps; also upon river, and other sand, and to extract the gold, and
other metals therefrom.
The said machine is used, also to operate upon earthy matter containing diamonds
and other precious stones and to extract the precious stones therefrom.
This apparatus has a series of tanks of about the following, or of other suitable
proportions, namely about 1 ft. 6 inches square, and 12 feet deep. These tanks are
fixed vertically side by side, and joined together, so as to form a row of tanks, or if
preferred the series of tanks may be formed by a number of vertical divisions,
fixed in a tank, about 9 feet long, by 1 foot 6 inches wide and 12 feet deep or of other
suitable dimensions.
Each tank in the row, is furnished with a drawer, or sliding box, at the bottom.
The inner end of each drawer fits into a recess formed in the side of the tank, and the
front of each drawer has an overlapping flange faced with india rubber, or other
suitable material to make it watertight.
Each drawer is secured in its position by a clamp, and wedge, or by other suitable
device, which admits of its being readily removed and replaced watertight when
required.
Immediately above each drawer the tanks are fitted with a number of horizontal
tubes of oval section, which extend transversely from front to back of the arrangement.
Each of the said tubes is furnished with a slot at its top side. These slots in the series
of tubes extend from front to back of the internal width of the tank, and form a
number of narrow groove-like ontlets, for water to rush vertically through into the
tank. A narrow space is left between each of the series of these transverse pipes and
as the water is sent into the tank through the slot like grooves formed in their upper
part it rushes vertically at the centre of the thickness of the stream and spreads
slantingly at the sides, so that the impinging force is quickly distributed throughout
the entire transverse area of the tank, but at the outlets the rush of the water,
before it is weakened by distribution is stronger than that portion of water lifted by
friction, through being situated between the grooves, and the excess of force at the
grooves prevents them becoming stopped, by the shower of granulated gold, which is
shot downwards so that those grains passing through the water in vertical line over
the grooves are diverted in their course and made to dive into that portion of the water
situated between the pipes, because there the force of the stream is less or is wholly
removed which admits of the gold passing down between the pipes into the receiving
drawer below them as required.
The one end of each tube or pipe is stopped by a door provided for each tank. These
doors are all made watertight by an overlapping india rubber faced flange and secured
by a clamp the same as the drawers.
The opposite end of each tube or pipe is in free communication with a water chamber

page_text: fitted to each tank. The said water chambers are each provided with a pressure gauge
and regulating valve.
A hose or pipe from a centrifugal or other pump, or from a head of water is con-
nected to each of the regulating valves, by which means a steady water pressure,
adjustable in its force by the regulating valves to properly meet the requirements of
each tank and indicated in its force by the pressure gauges is maintained in the
system of tanks.
The pressure of the water is different in each tank although the same pressure is
in the hose, or main leading from the supply. This difference is produced by opening
or closing the regulating valves more or less to meet the different requirements of each
tank due to the classification of the granulate: quartz by the means provided and yet
to be described.
By these means the entire transverse area of each tank or washer has given to it a
steady flow of upward rising water suited to its own particular requirements, accurately
adjusted by the regulating valves and indicated by the pressure gauges provided for
the purpose.
At a distance of about 2 feet above the said transverse tubes each tank is provided
with two suitably arranged outlets the one place! at the front and the other at the
back of the arrangement. These outlets have finely adjustable mouths, with knife
edges, so that while the mouth admits of fine adjustment to properly influence the
impinging force of the rising water inside the tank, the knife edges admit of the required
quantity of water passing out of the tank, at each outlet without the month becoming
stopped by grains of lighter metal than gold accumulating and being detained between
the upper and lower edges of the said outlets when adjusted as required by screws with
lock nuts. A sloping trough is fixed along the front and back of the row of tanks
and the outlets all empty into this trough the water from which mixed with grains of
lead or of silver, is conducted to a receiver where the metal settles to the bottom, its
superior gravitation to water being aided by a fall being given it.
At distances of a few inches from the first outlet upwards to the top of each tank
are similar adjustable outlets and troughs furnished with receivers of varying sizes
suitable to the quantity and quality of the various materials existing in the quartz and
which are separated, assorted, and discharged by the action of the water inside the
tank, which action has now to be described.
When water is turned into the system of tanks it rushes through the sets of transverse
tubes, and through their groove-like outlets and fills up the lower portion of each tank,
the whole of the water ascending at an adjasted and dependable velocity until it
reaches the first pair of outlets. At this stage of its upward progress, a portion of the
water will immediately escape out of the tank through the said outlets and the remainder
occupying the whole of the transverse area of the tank at that part will rise to the
next pair of outlets, but as the quantity rising past the first outlets is reduced the velocity
and impinging force is reduced in same proportion so that when the rising stream of
water has ascended past the entire number of pairs of outlets and has been made
weaker and weaker by its volume or quantity being further and further reduced and
its impinging power being made less and less as one pair of mouths after another
carried of its portion the residue remaining to overflow at the top of the tank becomes
so weak as to have scarcely any impinging or buoying force left in it, and it is
incapable of resisting even the sinking of sand but is very valuable in dealing with and
acting on that kind of gold known as float gold. This kind of, gold has an affinity
for air, and the granulated portions surround themselves with an attracted film of air
which causes them to float on water so that the gentle overflow at the top of the
washer is suitable to arrest them and to carry them away to their own receiver where
the bottom water only or cheifly is allowed to escape out and the overflow from this
receiver is provided with blankets which attract the air-surrounded floating gold.
By these means a stream of water is produced of sufficient impinging force at the
bottom of each tank that no metal except gold can remain in it. This stream is
stratified or divided into any number of different buoying or resisting powers suitable
for separating the different materials found with gold, when these materials are shot,

page_text: or driven into it by means to be described. This separation is produced by the
numerous differences created in the impinging water, which will allow only that kind
of material to remain in it whose specific gravity and momentum, give to it the power
to dive through the feebler sections situated higher up the washer, when they were
brought into direct collision with and have passed through those feebler portions which
although quite insufficient to resist metals from diving through them were sufficient
to resist the sinking of sand and other light matter and thus caused the wished for
separation to take place by carrying away the lighter matter which had not the power
to follow the metals, and to deposit such lighter material cleanly separated into its
own allotted place.
As each of the many sections in the washers are of considerably different powers
after being weakened by the numerous pairs of outlets, and as the shower of granu-
lated quartz sent into each tank is assorted and classified, as to size, by the grains
passing through fine gauze they are in each tank all so near alike in the area which
they present to the impinging stream as to be all well within the limits of the buoying
force in any two or three of the many different powers existing in the sections, so
that practically the areas of the grains are uniform, or so nearly uniform that the
difference in the impinging power referred to accommodates the slight difference
which may exist and renters it incapable of interfering with the required action of
the stratified stream, because if a silver grain was not operated upon by section No. 3
then No. 2 or No. 1 would tell upon it, as soon as it came into collision with their
superior forces, and its diving progress would be arrested by them in a trustworthy
manner and they would carry it out to their own receiver. So in like manner all the
lighter metals would be served, and the sand and refuse in the same way would be
carried off by being within the arresting powers of the feebler sections nearer the top
of the washers at which place a separation between the light materials which have no
power to dive, and the metals which have both momentum and gravitation to give
them diving power, at once takes place, so that the precious metals alone get to the
bottom of the arrangement, cleanly washed and unmixed.
Placed in an inclined position a few feet above the row of tanks is a revolving sieve
composed of different kinds of wire gauze, the meshes varying in coarseness from
1000 to 100 per square inch or of other suitable sizes. A length of each size is
placed in line over each tank. The entire sieve forms a drum about 2 ft. 6 in. in
diameter and 9 ft. long or of other convenient proportions. It has a central shaft
fitted with sets of arms and inner and outer hoops for connecting the different kinds
of wire to, and it is driven by a belt and pulley from any convenient power.
Below this sieve is a set of six or more centrifugal fans, with blades working in
cases fixed in line over the centre of each tank. Suitably arranged troughs receive
the sifted and assorted grains of crushed quartz and conduct them to the centre of
each fan case, and the induced air pressure in the revolving drum, caused by the fans
drawing air in with the classifyed grains assists the wire of the drum in the work of
classification. Immediately the granulated quartz reach the centre of the fans, they
are drawn into the case by the centrifugal force caused by the high velocity given to
the revolving blades, and the grains are at once delivered, shot like in speed into the
centre of the washer, prepared to deal with them by having the stratified variety of
different forces of upward rising water suited to all the different requirements, caused
by different gravitations, and different momentums due to the different weights in the
In this
various kinds of materials composing the downpour from the said fans.
manner the crushed rock and quartz sand with the numerous and different metals
found mixed therewith have imparted to each grain its own proper amount of
momentum due to its relative gravitation, and penetrating power so that the grains of
gold carry with them the same difference of driving power over those of the sand as
the shots and smoke do when leaving the barrel of a gun on its being fired. The force
of momentum combined with gravitation in the gold is subdued only by its own
proper resisting section of the washer when the gold reaches that section and that
only, and should there not exist grains of matter that are suitable for some of the
sections, those sections would deliver no grains into their trough because the grains

page_text: would either be arrested by the higher sections, or would penetrate into the lower
ones which had sufficient power to deal with them and were provided in the arrange-
ment for this purpose.
At the top of the system of washers is a lawn or fine wire screen fixed in convenient
position to admit of the air from the fan passing away but retaining the quartz.
The nozzle or pipe from the fan delivers the blast of quartz into the centre of the
tank, so that the grains when diving, do not come into collision with the rising grains,
whose sinking power has been subdued because the outlets attract and carry away the
latter at the front and back of the tank.
The first section of the sieve is the finest and prevents any but fine grains passing
to the fan, and thence into the washer. The water here is adjusted to suit these.
The second section of the sieve is a little coarser and grains too large to pass the
first pass this. The water pressure is suitably adjusted for these, and so on through-
out the system which may be extended indefinitely so that, with the classification as
to size of grains and the numerous differences in the impinging powers of the stratified
stream every grain of every weight, kind and size is provided for, successfully
separated and delivered to its own proper place as required.
In order to see the separating process going on in the system of tanks I fit glass in
the front and back where needful.
If preferred water may be used instead of the fan blast.
These machines may be made singly or in groups and they may be stationary or
portable on wheels, and be driven by steam or any other suitable power.
They may be constructed of wood chiefly, or of iron, steel, or other suitable
materials.
When extracting silver, copper, or lead, instead of gold, I carry off the metals on
endless belts working over rollers in branch tanks set at a slant, instead of a drawer at
the bottom being used to receive the metal.
When extracting precious stones the sieves are made coarser, and the water suitably
adjusted for operating upon the stones and other materials in which they are found.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which Fig. 1 is an elevation, part in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, Fig. 3
is a sectional plan and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of a few of the tubes showing the
outlet for the water in the upper part of the tube. Similar letters refer to similar
parts through the several views.
A is the sieve, revolving in an incline plane and having a central shaft A' carried
by plummer blocks A and A³. The shaft A' has an universal joint A to admit of
the drum, revolving in an inclined plane while the part of the shaft working in the
plummer block A³ is level. A is the pulley for working the sieve. A is a trough
for feeding the sieve A is one of the bosses for supporting the carrying arms of
the drum rings A8 for securing the wire gauze. B is the trough for conducting the
assorted grains to the centre of the fans CCC2 C3 C and C.-B¹ is one of the
divisions of the trough B, used for keeping the assorted grains separate. The trough
B. is carried by the framing D. C is the shaft for driving all the fans. This shaft
is carried by the plummer blocks C7 and 8 and is driven by the belt pulley C. Co
is one of the centre bosses for carrying the arms C and the blades C2 of the fan.
C¹³ is the fan case and C4 the outlet for the shower of grains and blast of air. This
outlet is adjusted for length by the sliding socket C. The framing D supports the
entire arrangement and is of suitable strength for this purpose. E is one of the tanks
or washers, E E² E³ E* and E' are similar tanks and are separated from each other
by the partitions E E E E and E but if preferred the tanks may be made
entire and fixed a distance of each other to admit of mouth openings being fixed in
the four sides. E is one of the many outlets for the water. Any number of such
outlets may be used all fitted with fine adjustment and emptying into trought con-
veniently arranged for conveying the materials and water to suitable receivers and
conducting the sand to the tailings. F is one of the pressure gauges. One of these
gauges is fitted to each washer and connected to its water chamber G, used for dis-
tributing the water to the horizontal tubes H. I is one of the regulating valves, one

page_text: such valve I is fitted in the pipe leading to each distributing chamber. The sets of
horizontal pipes or tubes H have each a groove H' as shown at Fig. 4. The grooves
H' are formed along the upper side of each tube to form outlets for the water. These
outlets admit of the water freely ascending into the washer. J is the watermain fitted
with branches, J¹ &c. to each regulating valve I.-K is the drawer made watertight
by the door Ki which is kept in position by the clamp K2 and wedge K³. A similar
clamped door H2 closes the ends of the water tubes H. L is the screen at the top of
the washers for preventing the air carrying away any of the crushed quartz, or light
sand.
Dated this 28th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing and Separating Diamonds, Ores, Gold,
Silver, Copper, and other Metals from the earthy Matter in
which they are Found.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DUNCAN of Coalbrookdale, in the County of Shropshire, Civil
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 follow-
ing statement :-
The principles upon which this invention is based, are the laws pertaining to gravi-
tation, momentum, impact, impulse, accumulated force, and the collision of bodies.
I will describe the arrangements I employ, to utilize in combination, or singly the
said forces, or any one or more of them in a machine which is suitable to operate upon,
quartz rock, and the like, after it has been crushed more or less fine by the ordinary
stamps, or by other means; and which is suitable also, to operate on river and other
sand; also on slimes and the like, and to extract the diamonds or metals therefrom.
This apparatus has a series of tanks or cisterns, or in some cases, only one tank is
used. The said tanks are fixed in a vertical position side by side and connected
together, so as to form a row of tanks, or if preferred, the series of tanks may be
formed by a number of vertical divisions fixed in a rectangular cistern.
Each tank in the series is furnished with a drawer, or sliding box, at its bottom.
The inner end of each drawer fits into a recess formed in the side of the tank, and
the front of each drawer has an overlapping flange, faced with india-rubber, or other
suitable material to make it water-tight.
Each drawer is secured in its position by a clamp, and wedge, or by other suitable
device, which admits of its being readily removed and replaced water-tight when
required.
Immediately above each drawer, the said tanks have a number of water passages,
which extend transversly from front to back of the arrangement.
Each of the said water passages is furnished with a slot, or groove-like opening for
water to rush through, at its upper side. The said slots extend from front to back of
the width of the tanks, and form a number of narrow groove-like outlets for water to rush
vertically through into the tank. A space is left between each of the transverse passages,
and as the water is sent into the tank through the slot-like grooves, formed in their
upper side, it rushes vertically in at the centre of the thickness of the stream, and
spreads slantingly, at the sides, so that the impinging force is quickly distributed
throughout the entire transverse area of the tank; but at the outlets, the rush of the
water, before it is weakened by distribution, is stronger than that portion of the water
which is lifted partially by friction through being situated between the grooves, and
this excess of rushing force, at the grooves prevents the said grooves becoming
stopped by the shower of granulated gold, which is shot downwards, so that those
grains which pass through the water in vertical line over the grooves, are diverted in
their course and caused to dive into that portion of the water situated between the
passages, because there the force of the stream is less, or is wholly removed, which

page_text: admits of the gold passing down between the water passages, into the receiving
drawer placed below them.
One end of each water passage is stopped by a door, provided for each tank.
These doors are all made water-tight by an overlapping india-rubber flange, and
secured by a clamp the same as the drawers.
The opposite end of each water passage is in free communication with a water
chamber fitted to each tank.
The said water chambers are each provided with a water gauge and regulating
valve.
A hose or pipe from a centrifugal, or a steam pump, or from a head of water is con-
nected to each regulating valve, by which means a steady flow of water, adjustable in
its force by the regulating valves to properly meet the requirements of each tank, and
indicated by the pressure gauges, is maintained in the system of tanks.
The pressure of the water is different in each tank, although the pressure in the
main is nearly uniform.
This difference in pressure in the several tanks is produced by opening or closing the
regulating valves more or less to meet the requirements of each tank due to the
classification of the granulated quartz by the means provided and yet to be described..
By these arrangements the entire transverse area of each tank, or-washer has given
to it a steady flow of upwards rising water, suited to its own particular requirements,
and this stream is accurately adjusted by the regulating valves, and indicated by the
pressure gauges provided for these purposes.
At a suitable distance above the transverse water passages, each tank is provided
with two, or more, suitably arranged outlets, one being placed in front, and another at
the back of the tank.
The said outlets, have finely adjustable mouths, with knife edges, so that while the
mouth admits of fine adjustment, as to the quantity of water allowed to pass out
through it, to properly influence the impinging force of the rising water inside the
tank, the knife edges admit of this quantity passing through, between them, without
the mouths becoming stopped by grains of lighter metal than gold, accumulating, or
being detained between them when adjusted as required, by the screws and lock-nuts
provided for this purpose.
A sloping trough is fixed along the front and back of the row of tanks and the first
set of outlets all empty into this trough the water from which, mixed with grains of
lead or silver is conducted to a receiver, where the metal settles to the bottom, its
superior gravitation being aided by a fall being given to it.
At distances of a few inches, more or less, above the level of the first sets of outlets,
upwards in succession to the top of each tank, are similar adjustable outlets, and
receiving troughs conveying the outflowing water mixed with metal or other material
to suitable receivers, proportion in size to the various materials existing in the quartz
or sand, which is being operated upon. The different metals are separated, assorted,
and discharged by the action of the water, inside the tank, which action has now to be
described.
When water is turned into the system of tanks, it rushes through the sets of
passages and through their groove-like outlets, and fills up the lower portion of each
tank, the whole of the water ascending at an adjusted and dependable velocity, until it
reaches the first pair of outlets.
At this stage of its upwards progress, a portion of the water, will immediately escape
out of the tank, through the said outlets and the remainder, occupying the whole of
the transverse area of the tank, will rise to the next set of outlets, but as the quantity
rising past the first set of mouths is reduced by a part having escaped out, the velocity
of the rising residue of water, and the impinging force, is reduced in same proportion,
so that when the rising stream of water, has ascended past the entire number of outlets,
and has been made continually weaker and weaker, by its volume or quantity being
further and further reduced, and its impinging force being made less and less strong,
as one set of outlets after another has carried of their portion, the residue remaining
to overflow at the top of the tank, becomes so small in quantity, and therefore so weak

page_text: in its impinging force and buoying power that it is incapable of resisting even the
sinking of sand, which when shot into it, at a high velocity will readily dive in it, yet
this overflow, and feeble section, situated at the top, is very valuable in dealing with,
and acting on that kind of gold known as float gold.
This kind of gold has an affinity for air, and the grains surround themselves with
an attracted film of air, which causes them to float on water, so that the gentle over-
flow, at the top of the washer, although incapable of resisting the sinking of any
material not buoyed up by a film of air, is capable of arresting the diving of air-
surrounded gold, and of separating it from sandy matter, and carrying it away to its
proper receiver, where the bottom water only is allowed to escape away, and the over-
flow from this receiver is provided with blankets, which arrest the air-surrounded
floating gold.
By these means a stream of water is provided, of sufficient buoying force at the
bottom of each tank, that no metal, except gold can remain in it. This stream is
stratified or divided into any number of different buoying, or impinging powers, the
resistance to sinking in any one of these sections, is greater than the one above it, aud
less than the section below it, and the action of the water in the entire arrangement, is
suitable for separating the different metals and other materials found with gold when
the granulated and classified mass, is shot, or driven into this prepared stream of
water, by the means, yet to be described.
The said separation is produced through, or by, the numerous differences made in
the force of the impinging water, which will allow only that kind of material to
remain in it, until its sinking progress is arrested, whose specific gravity aided by its
momentum, give it the power to dive through the feebler sections situated higher up
the washer, which, although quite insufficient to prevent metal from darting through
them, were sufficient to resist and overcome, the sinking of sand, and other light
matter, and this caused the desired separation to take place, by the stratified stream
carrying away the lighter matter, at the upper outlets of the washer, which was due to
its not having the diving power to follow the metals, but being overcome by the
impinging current, was by the said current, made to rise, and leave the metals, and by
it was carried out of the washer, cleanly separated, and deposited in its own allotted
place.
As each of the many sections in the washers are of considerably different powers
and as the shower of granulated quartz sent into each tank is assorted, and classified
as to size, by the grains passing through fine wire gauze, the said grains are in each
tank, all so near alike, in the area which they present to the impinging stream, as to
be all well within the limits of the buoying force in any two or three of the many
different powers existing in the sections, so that practically the areas of the grains are
alike, or are so nearly alike that the differences in the impinging powers referred to,
accomodates any slight difference which may exist, and thus renders it incapable of
interfering with the required action of the stratified stream, because if a silver grain
was not operated upon by the section No. 3, then No. 2, or No. 1, would tell upon it,
as soon as it came into collision with their superior forces, and its diving progress
would be stopped by them, in a trustworthy manner, and they would carry it out to
their own receiver. So in like manner, all the lighter metals are served, and the sand,
and refuse in the same way, are carried of, by being within the arresting powers of the
weaker sections nearer the top of the washer, at which place a separation between the
light materials, which have little power to dive, and the heavy metals, which have both
gravitation and momentum to give them diving power, at once takes place, so that
the precious metals alone get to the bottom of the arrangement cleanly washed and
unmixed.
Placed in an inclined position (a few feet above the row of tanks, or any other con-
venient distance above the said tanks,) is a revolving sieve, composed of as many
different lengths of varying sizes of wire gauze as there are washers or tanks in the
arrangement. The sizes of these meshes generally vary from 101.0 to 100 per square
inch for extracting gold, and for diamonds and other precious stones the size is in
proportion to the requirements.

page_text: A length of each size of wire is placed in line over each tank. The entire sieve
forms a drum of convenient diameter, whose length is equal to the length of the row
of tanks. This drum has a central shaft, fitted with sets of arms, and inner and outer
hoops, for connecting the different kinds of wire to, and it is driven by a belt and
pulley which may be operated by any convenient power.
A perforated water pipe is fixed longitudinally over the drum, and connected to the
water main. This pipe is furnished with a regulating valve and is used for the pur-
pose of aiding the crushed quartz in passing through the wire of the sieve.
Below this sieve is a set of six or more centrifugal fans, with blades working in
cases fixed in vertical line, over the centre of each tank.
Suitably arranged troughs receive the siefted and assorted grains of erushed quartz,
and conduct them to the centre of each fan case, and the induced air pressure, caused by
the quickly revolving fan, drawing air in with the assorted grains, assists the drum in
the work of classification.
Immediately the granulated quartz reach the centre of the fans, they are drawn into
the case, by the centrifugal force, caused by the high velocity given to the revolving
blades, and the granulated quartz is delivered shot like in speed, into the centre of the
washer, the water in which is prepared to deal with them, by having the stratified
variety of different forces of upward rising water, suited to all the different require-
ments, caused by the different gravitations and different momentums in the various
kinds of materials composing the downpour from the said fans.
In this manner, the crushed rock and quartz sand, with the numerous and various
metals mixed therewith have imparted to each grain its own proper amount of
momentum, due to the different gravitations and diving powers, so that the grains of
gold carry with them the same difference of penetrating power over the grains of sand
as shots and smoke do when leaving the barrel of a gun on its being fired.
The force of momentum, combined with the force of gravitation in the gold, is sub-
dued only by its own proper resisting section of the washer, when the gold reaches that
section, and that only, and should there not exist grains of matter, that are suitable for
some of the sections, those sections would deliver no grains into their troughs, because
the said grains of matter, when acted upon by the prepared stream of stratified water,
would either be arrested by the higher sections, or would penetrate deeper into the
lower sections, which have sufficient power to deal with them, and were provided, in
the arrangement, for this purpose.
At the top of the system of washers is a lawn, or fine wire screen, fixed in suitable
position to admit of the air from the fans passing away, but retaining the quartz.
The nozzle or pipe from each fan delivers the blast of quartz into the centre of each
tank or washer, so that the grains when diving do not come into collision with the
rising grains, whose sinking power has been subdued, because the outlets attract, and
carry away, the ascending grains at the sides of the tank.
The first section of the sieve is the finest, and prevents any but fine grains passing
to the fan, and thence into the washer. The force of the water here is adjusted to suit
these.
The second section of the sieve is a little coarser, and grains too large to pass the
first pass this.
The water pressure is suitably adjusted to deal with these larger grains, and is
indicated by the pressure gauge, and so on throughout the system, which may be
extended indefinitely, so that, with the classification as to size of the grains, and the
numerous differences in the impinging powers of the stratified stream, every grain,
of every weight, kind, and size, is provided for, successfully separated, and delivered to
its own proper place, as required.
In order to see the separating process going on in the system of tanks, 1 fit glass in
the front and back of these washing and separating cisterns, the one sheet of glass
giving light, the other admitting of the process being viewed.
If preferred, a force or jet of water may be used to give momentum to the grains,
instead of the said fan blast.
When extracting gold out of slimy, or clayey water, which holds the fine bits of

page_text: metal in suspension, or solution, I dispense with the fan and revolving sieve, and after
drawing, or forcing the liquid slimes, through strainers, to classify them, I force the
said slimes, at a high velocity, through a nozzle or pipe, into the rising stream of
stratified water, in the washer. As soon as the slimy water comes into collision with
the clear rising stream, it becomes diluted and thined. This enables the bits of metal
carrying, as they do, more momentum than slime to continue their diving course,
until they leave the slimes, and enter the clear water below, while the slimes are
arrested in their descent by the rising stream of clean water, and are carried away by
the upper outlets into their proper receiver, but the grains of gold, having darted
deeper into the under sections are thereby separated and carried off to another receiver
where, being freed from the stickey slimes, and in clear water, they settle to the bottom,.
and are won.
To give the required high velocity to the slimes I generally force the said slimes
through a contracted pipe by a steam pump. This pipe is fixed in line over the centre.
of the stratified rising stream.
:
When extracting silver, copper or lead, instead of gold, I generally carry off the
metals on endless belts working over rollers, in branch tanks, fixed in a slanting
direction, instead of collecting the metal in a drawer at the bottom of the arrangement.
For extracting precious stones, the sieves are made much coarser, and the water is
suitably adjusted to operate on the stones and other materials in which the jewels are
found.
These machines may be worked singly or in rows, and they may he stationary, or
portable on wheels, and may be driven by steam or by any other suitable power; and
may be constructed to be fed by mechanical arrangements or by hand.
The said machines may be made of wood chiefly, or of iron, steel, or other suitable
materials.
I attain these objects by the arrangements illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation, part in section.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section, and
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan.
Fig. 4 is a detail, to a larger scale, showing the adjustable outlet, in section.
Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of one of the washing tanks, as constructed, when the same
are used separately. This detail shows the water passages and the grooves between
them, for the washed gold to descend through, into the receiving drawer, placed in
position below.
Fig. 6 is an elevation, and
Fig. 7 is a side view of the said water passages, and drawer below them, placed in
position to receive the granulated gold.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A is the revolving sieve, worked in an incline position, and having a central shaft A¹:
carried by plummer blocks A2 and A³. A is a similar plummer block which carries
the outer end of the driving shaft, which latter is placed in an horizontal position
over that portion of the arrangement used to operate on slimes. A³ is an universal
joint which unites the horizontal and incline portions of the said shaft together, so that
the driving part may work in an horizontal plane, while the sieve works in an incline
plane. A is the belt pulley used to give motion to the horizontal and incline shafts.
A' is a trough used for feeding the sieve. The crushed quartz, alluvial earth, or
gold bearing sand, may be delivered into this trough mechanically, or by hand.
:
:
B is the trough or case, in which the sieve A works, and delivers the siefted and
assorted grains of gold bearing material, which are conducted by suitably arranged
partitions to the centre of the series of revolving fans CC1 C2 C3 C4 and C³. The
trough B is carried by the framing D. C is the shaft for driving all the fans, at the
required high velocity. This shaft is carried by the plummer blocks C7 and C, and is;
driven by the belt pulley C from the large pulley Co, or from any convenient source,
of power.
C¹¹to Care the fan cases, arranged with an adjusting socket at the bottom end of
B

page_text: the delivering pipes (17 to C2 to properly deliver the showers of assorted grains into
the washers. The framing D supports the entire arrangement and is made of suitable
strength for this purpose.
E is one of the tanks or washers E' E2 E3 E and E5 are similar tanks and are
separated from each other by the vertical divisions E to E10, but if prefered, the
tanks may be fixed a distance from each other, in which case, the arrangement shown
in plan by the detail Fig. 5 is used. The outlets in this latter case may be fixed in
the four sides.
E is one of the outlets for light materials.
These tanks may be fitted with any required number of similar adjustable outlets,
arranged to deliver into troughs in connection with receivers of suitable size to meet
the requirements of the machine.
The upper outlets empty into the tailings as shown
in Fig. 2. The overflow at the top is conducted into a blanketted receiver when float-
gold has to be extracted. The under troughs E3 E14 E15 and E16 are each furnished
with receivers in which are deposited the metals lighter than gold, the force of the
impinging current of rising water, being so adjusted by the regulating valves F, and
indicated by the pressure gauges G, that the grains of gold shall not be buoyed
upward, but allowed to sink into the drawer provided at the bottom of the tanks and
shown at H. Each washer is furnished with a water chamber 1, which is in pipe
communication with the said pressure gauges G, one of which is fitted to each washer.
The water chambers I, are used to distribute the water to the sets of water passages,
or tubes I, by which the entire transverse area of the washers are supplied. J is the
watermain, fitted with branches J to each of the regulating valves F. The gold
drawer H is made watertight by the door H¹ which is kept in position by bolts with
wing nuts, or by a clamp, or other convenient device. L is the screen at the top
of the washers used to prevent waste in the material being operated upon.
M is the arrangement used to operate upon clayey and slimey water, containing gold
held in suspension, or solution, and to extract the gold therefrom. M¹ is the slime
washer, whose tank is supplied with a stratified stream of rising water similar to those
used to operate upon the crushed quartz. The slimes are forced up the vertical
pipe M2 and round the crescent shaped top into the diminishing nozzles M³ whose
diameter is varied from a small diameter at the end, as shown, to a larger size above,
by which means the area of the issuing orifice is readily adjusted to suit the required
velocity of the slimes. A steam pump is generally used to force the said slime
through the nozzle. The system of troughs is used in a similar manner to those of
the other washers, because when the diving power of the slime has been overcome
by the stratified rising stream, the slime begins to ascend, and the outlets attract it
from the centre to the sides of the washer and it passes away through their mouths,
but after the slime has ceased to dive, the microscopic bits of gold, having superior
sinking powers, due to their gravitation, which sinking is greatly intensified by the
high momentum given to them, the combination of these two forces, assisted by the
diluting influence of the clear rising stream, liberates the gold from the slimes and
causes it to continue to dive deeper into the clear water, and leaving the slimes behind,
the gold dashes into the clear stream, and thereby becomes freed from the slime, and
washed from any stickey matter, that when in a still condition would hold it in
suspension, and is by the lower outlets carried off to a settling tank or allowed to settle.
into the bottom drawer of the washer.
In this manner the combined forces of momentum and gravitation aided at the
right moments by the diluting and cleaning power of the stratified stream of clear
water brought into collision with the slimes, effect the separation of the gold therefrom,
which when in clear water settles and is extracted as required.
Fig. 8 shows the delivering belt, for lighter metals than gold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what l
claim is,
First. In a gold washing, separating, and extracting machine, the use of a stratified

page_text: current, of impinging water, having many different sections, each varying in buoying
force, which are in succession inade weaker, by portions of the said water being
allowed to escape away, and to carry with it, that kind of metal or other material
whose gravity, and the momentum given to it, cause it to be suitable to be operated
upon, by the force of the rising stream, in or near that particular section arranged in
the washer, for acting upon that metal or material.
Second. In a gold extracting machine such a stratified stream of impinging water,
with numerous sections, so weakened from the bottom upwards, by the repetition of
escaping outlets, in the sides of a vertical washer, continually taking off more, and
more of the water, that the residue, overflowing at the top, shall be so gentle, that it
is suitable for acting on, and separating float-gold, while the other sections are suitable
for operating on, and extracting other metals from the earthy matter in which they
are found.
Third. In a gold extracting machine, the use of sets of tubes or water passages,
with groove-like outlets, at the upper side, for the impinging water to issue through,
when the same is passing into the washers; also the same shaped tubes with outlet
holes, instead of grooves, for washing and separating purposes. Also the arrangement
of the sets of water passages, side by side, leaving suitable spaces between them for
the gold to pass through, into the drawer below, substantially as illustrated and
described.
Fourth. The principle of extracting gold, and other metals by causing a shower of
crushed quartz, or alluvial earth, or gold bearing sand, to be driven at a high velocity,
into a stratified, impinging stream of water, with numerous sections of different
powers, passing in an opposite direction, to the said shower, so as to operate upon the
various metals substantially as described.
Fifth. In a gold and diamonds extracting machine, the use of the combination, of
the classifying sieve, the set of fans, and the stratified stream, for the purposes
set forth.
Sixth. In a gold and diamonds extracting machine, the use of the regulating valve,
and indicating pressure gauge, in combination with the other portions of the machine,
for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. In a gold extracting machine, the use of a stratified stream, of flowing
water, in combination with the jet of slimey, clayey, or other liquid, for the purposes
of extracting gold, held in suspension, or gold held in solution in the said slimes,
substantially as described and set forth.
Eighth. In a diamonds, gold, silver copper and other metals, washing and extracting
machine, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, forming
my improved machine, acting and operating substantially, as described in this
Specification, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of Anonst. 1890.