Improved Apparatus or Means for Separating Gold, Minerals, and Diamonds from Sands and Gravels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1897
A
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Means for Separating Gold, Minerals, and
Diamonds from Sands and Gravels.
I, COMER SANDYS BALL, of Monte Rosa, London Road, St. Leonards, Sussex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in separating materials without value as sands and gravels
from their valuable contents such as diamonds, gold, stream tin etc. so as to obtain
high results as to efficiency and at the same time to provide absolutely against any
possible attempt at pilfering by the natives or Europeans employed."
The material however brought, either by bucket, dredgers, grabs, suction
dredgers on the Ball principle or otherwise is supplied with water and run first
into a trough with a grating or network arranged to exclude all stones above any
desired size. The water and material then fall into a hopper leading into the
opening of a vertical pipe receiving a regular upward flow of water regulated by
a tank and overflow above or by a centrifugal or other pump below, the speed and
suction of which is strictly controlled by first a sensitive governor on engine and
secondly by a cone valve which constricts or enlarges the supply should the engine
vary in speed being checked by a resistance spring or weight.
This upward flow being regulated so as to expel the biggest stones allowed to
fall into it, only nuggets of a certain size can fall down through it and all the
materialstones, sand, smaller nuggets and fine gold still remaining are thrust
overboard into a hopper or shoot which delivers them on to a second grating of
smaller mesh which throws away all stones above a certain size but cannot throw
away any nuggets of the same size for on account of their density they will fall
through the ascending column of water which throws out the stones of said
size.
This operation is repeated time after time as may be desired by means of a series
of pipes, shoots and gratings each time the nuggets which get smaller at each
operation falling through the ascending water while the dross is thrown out and
Each of these vertical
by means of the successive screens and shoots taken to waste.
pipes starts at the bottom from a locked watertight box supplied with the necessary
water by means of a pipe controlled by a tap or cock, which once sets for a certain
size never requires moving and in fact is preferably locked up under a kind of cap.
As the operators never handle the stuff they cannot steal the gold since it sinks
into the locked boxes and the whole apparatus being self acting can be locked up so
as to be inaccessible to the hands.
The material expelled by the last tube contains the finest particles of sand and
gold and by this time the particles are so fine and the gold is so liable to be flaky
or of the well known float gold description that the action of gravity can no longer
be relied upon and the amalgamating action of mercury must be called into play.
To effect this the overflow of the last separating tube is led into a trough either
cylindrical, funnel shaped or otherwise and having a vertical pipe as outlet. This
pipe is ended by a bend so that its delivery is in a tangent to the circumference of

page_text: a quicksilver tub in which it dips to an extent that can be varied from a few inches
to a few feet. This pipe is made to rotate more or less rapidly and thereby delivers
in a comparatively dry state, say with scarcely 20% of water, the residuum of fine
sand and fine gold under the mercury which is kept either still or in a whirlpool,
the water and sand immediately rise to the surface and passing overboard are
conducted to waste while the gold is amalgamated and retained were it only by
its specific gravity which keeps it from rising through the mercury.
As the quicksilver on a long period might begin to thicken and in consequence
be carried away a small pump is provided connected with the general running of
the plant which will continuously extract the quicksilver, force it gently through
wash leather or other material so as to retain the amalgam and return the filtered
mercury to the original tub.
The whole of this machinery being enclosed pilfering is impossible and there
only remains for the person in authority to collect from time to time the gold
nuggets accumulated in the various boxes and to take away for retorting the
accumulated amalgami
Instead of a succession of screens as described I use when it is desirable not to
have to lift the water and material to any considerable height the following
arrangement.
The material and water are delivered into a trommel revolving in a tank of
water. The axis of the trommel is oblique and rises from one end to the other
until the trommel clears the tank where it is ended.
The trommel has a succession of perforated plates or gauze increasing from the
smallest size decided upon to the biggest. Inside is a spiral which compels the
material to ascend in the trommel notwithstanding its rising instead of falling as
usual.
The tank is divided in as many compartments as there are sizes and each com-
partment is constantly being emptied by means of a disc pump, Jacob's ladder or
spiral conveyor or simply a regulated opening and the discharge of these arrange-
ments is effected into the separating upward current tubes previously described,
the finer stuff being passed under mercury.
To feed the separating apparatus I employ the following pump.
A pipe is maintained in a vertical position and its top is bent to 90° or other
angle and prolonged as may be desired.
The end however is closed by a movable flap or valve preferably of india rubber.
The top of this pipe is attached to a smaller pipe acting as shaft and receiving
a rapid rotary motion from a power engine of any kind.
The movable flap being closed an ejector or a pump creates a vacuum in the
said pipe causing the water to rise in it and fill the bent arm. As soon as the
water reaches the top pipe a cock which is interposed between the suction and
the pump or vertical and then bent pipe is closed and the pipe and bend caused to
rotate rapidly the centrifugal force thus created causes the water in bent arm to
escape, and causing a vacuum behind to create a violent suction behind it sucking
up through the vertical pipe and its connections any material, water or sand, which
may be presented to it. The outflow is received in a tank of sufficient diameter to 4
allow the bent arm to rotate within it and an opening at side or bottom allows the
said water and material to run to where they are wanted.
For separating the fine gold from the sand without the intervention of quick-
silver I use the following device. I run the material with its accompanying water
down an ordinary sluice box but from place to place I replace the bottom of the
sluice box by a kind of catch pit or box which has a double bottom the higher one
being formed of a copper or iron or steel plate abundantly perforated with very
small holes coming out preferably in small raised cones.
A current of water is admitted under regulated pressure under the two bottoms
the result being a constant upward flow through the catch pit. The gold particles 5
when passing over the catch pit sink through the sand which is kept by the
numerous little jets of water from below in a state of agitation similar to a quick-

page_text: sand and the moment they have sank ever so little in this they are protected from
the current of water in the sluice box and they cannot be carried away but continue
to sink lower and lower until they rest on the perforated plate where they
accumulate. A second opening in the double box can be used for cleaning it but
this opening is generally kept closed. From time to time the main box is emptied
and the contents carefully panned or amalgamated or otherwise treated.
In order to compel any floating gold to sink I arrange a sprinkler above the
quicksand box aforesaid so as to throw a fine spray on the surface of the water
while it is passing over the said quicksand catch pit thereby capsizing and sinking
the pellicules or flat scales of gold. I sometimes arrange one or two arms rotating
on the top of the supply pipe and perforated so that as they revolve by the reaction
of the water the spray is thrown to a certainty on every portion of the surface of
the catch pit. Finally to catch the float gold I place in the last sluice box
amalgamated copper plates arranged to float on the current by being rivetted at
one end to an iron bar laying transversely across the sluice box and hinged on to
it by means of two notches in the sides in which the said bar drops.
The chief features of novelty in this invention are.
The arrangement of successive gratings and ejecting tubes with locked bottom
boxes to collect valuable materials.
The arrangement of a quicksand bed to allow the gold or other heavy material
to filter through.
The use of a sprinkler to sink float gold.
The use of a floating copper plate and generally the mechanical arrangements
described in my specification.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said C. S. Ball.
Improved Apparatus or Means for Separating Gold, Minerals, and
Diamonds from Sands and Gravels.
I, COMER SANDYS BALL, of Monte Rosa, London Road, St. Leonards, Sussex,
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:-
This invention consists in separating materials without value as sands and
gravels from their valuable contents, such as diamonds, gold, stream tin etc. so
as to obtain high results as to efficiency and at the same time to provide absolutely
against any possible attempt at pilfering by the natives or Europeans employed.
The material however brought up either by bucket dredgers, grabs, suction
dredgers on the "Ball" principle or otherwise is supplied with water and run first
into a trough with a grating or network arranged to exclude all stones above any
desired size.
The water and material from the pipe A provided with spread nozzle B then
fall into a hopper A¹ Diagram I leading into the opening a of a vertical pipe B¹
the larger stones or material from the grating. A¹ falling down the waste pipe G
into a trough G as waste. The pipe B receives a regular upward flow of water
from the tank H and overflows above, or by a centrifugal or other pump C below
(see Diagram III), the speed and suction of which is strictly controlled by, First,

page_text: a sensitive governor on engine and secondly by a cone valve D which constricts
or enlarges the supply should the engine vary in speed, being checked by resistance
springs EE or weights.
This upward flow is regulated so as to expel the biggest stones allowed to fall
into it, only nuggets of a certain size can fall down through it on account of their
superior weight and all the material, stones, sand, smaller nuggets and fine gold
still remaining are thrust overboard into a hopper or shoot D' which delivers them
on to a second grating of smaller mesh E¹ which throws away all stones above a
certain size which pass to the pipe G2; but cannot throw away any nuggets of the
same size, as there can be none present for on account of their density they will fall
through the ascending column of water in the preceding pipe which throws out the
stones of the said size, and not being ejected there will therefore be none of that
size thrown on the screen.
This operation is repeated time after time as may be desired by means of a series
of pipes G³ G Go shoots D2 D3 D' and gratings E' EEE each time, the nuggets
which get smaller at each operation falling through the ascending water in the
pipes Fi F2 F3 while the dross is thrown out and by means of the successive screens
and shoots taken to waste G¹.
Each of these vertical pipes B₁ F F1 F2 F3 start at the bottom from a locked
watertight box H supplied with the necessary water by means of a pipe J. The
pressure of which current supplied to the boxes H, H, H, H, H, and thence to the
vertical pipes B¹, F, F1, F2, F³, is controlled by a tap or cock c which once set for
a certain size never requires moving and in fact is preferably locked up under a
kind of cap.
As the operators never handle the stuff they cannot steal the gold since it sinks
into the locked boxes and the whole apparatus being self acting can be locked up
so as to be inaccessible to the hands."
The material expelled by the last tube F3 contains the finest particles of sand
and gold and by this time the particles are so fine and the gold is so liable to be
flaky or of the well known float gold description that the action of gravity can
no longer be relied upon and the amalgamating action of mercury must be called
into play.
To effect this the overflow L of the last separating tube is led into a trough M
either cylindrical, funnel shaped or otherwise and having a vertical pipe N as
outlet. This pipe is ended by a bend N so that its delivery is at a tangent to the
circumference of a quicksilver tub P in which it dips to an extent that can be
varied from a few inches to a few feet. This pipe is made to rotate more or less
rapidly by the gear N2 and thereby delivers in a comparatively dry state, say with
scarcely 20% of water, the residuum of fine sand and fine gold near the lower part
of the mercury tube P, the mercury in which is kept either still or in a whirlpool;
the water and sand immediately rise to the surface and passing overboard are
conducted to waste G6 while the gold is amalgamated and retained were it only by
its specific gravity which keeps it from rising through the mercury.
As the quicksilver on a long period might begin to thicken and in consequence
be carried away a small pump Q is provided connected with the general running
of the plant or worked by hand as shown in Diagram I which will continuously
extract the quicksilver, force it gently through wash leather or other material so
as to retain the amalgam and return the filtered mercury to the original tub P.
The whole of this machinery being enclosed, pilfering is impossible and there
only remains for the person in authority to collect from time to time the gold
nuggets accumulated in the various boxes and to take away for retorting the
accumulated amalgam.
Instead of a succession of screens as described I use when it is desirable not to
have to lift the water and material to any considerable height the following
arrangement.
The material and water are delivered into a trommel 6 revolving in a tank of
water c¹. The axis of the trommel may be horizontal, as shown in Diagram II, in

page_text: which case no spiral wire will be required, or it may be oblique and have a spiral
to compel the material to rise.
The trommel has a succession of perforated plates or wire gauze constituting the
circumference of the trommel stretched on cast iron rings or wheels kept together
by an outer band and bolt. The tank c¹ is divided into compartments c², c³, c, c³, c³,
separated by perforated plates y¹, y³, y³, y', and each part of the perforated cover
of the trommel immediately above these compartments is of a different mesh
increasing from say 16 at 2 to 1 at c³.
The operations in the compartments c³, c, c, care precisely the same as described
in Diagram I where the gravel and nuggets fall down the pipes ¹,,,, the
nuggets falling through an ascending column of water from pipe J controlled by
cock c and the gravel and dross being shot up pipes to to waste G¹. In c³ the
operation is what I call a sand catch pit and works very well indeed. The bottom
of the tank or trough cat c³ division is perforated with small holes and the very
small sand and gold dust which would otherwise be lost, falls through into the
sluice Z. This sluice for a part of its length namely from 1 to 2 is a box d with
a false bottom made of very finely perforated copper plate. From z¹ to 2³, is a
thick perforated iron plate. As the small gravel and gold dust from c³ runs down
the sluice Z the finest of it containing the gold dust falls through this perforated
plate into the box d.
Underneath the false bottom a strong current of water is injected through f
which sprays up amongst the sand and causes it to be in a turmoil like a
quicksand. This causes the gold dust to sink lower and lower until at last it rests
on the copper faise bottom and accumulates there until there is sufficient quantity
to remove through a watertight door at **.
To feed the separating apparatus I employ the following pump represented on
Diagrams IV and V sectional elevation and plan respectively.
A revolvable pipe 1 is maintained in a vertical position within a tank 2 and its
top is bent as an offshoot 3 to 90° or other angle and prolonged as may be desired.
The end however is closed by a movable or hinged Hap 4 or valve preferably of
India rubber. The top of this pipe is attached to a smaller pipe and they receive
a rapid rotary motion by gear 5 from a power engine of any kind.
The movable flap 4 being closed an ejector or a pump 6 creates a vacuum in the
said pipe 1 causing the water to rise in it and fill the bent arm 3. As soon as the
water reaches the top pipe a cock 7 which is interposed between the suction of
ejector or air pump 6 and the vertical hollow shaft and the bent pipe, is closed,
whereby the vertical pipe and bent offshoot are caused to rotate rapidly, the centri-
fugal force thus created causes the water in bent arm to escape and form a vacuum
behind to create a violent suction behind it sucking up through the vertical pipe
and its connections any material, water or sand, which may be presented to it.
The outflow is received in a tank 2 of sufficient diameter to allow the bent arm 3
to rotate within it and an opening 8 at side or bottom allows the said water and
material to run to where they are wanted.
For separating the fine gold from the sand without the intervention of quicksilver
I use the following device. I run the material with its accompanying water down
an ordinary sluice box but from place to place I replace the bottom of the sluice
box Z by a kind of catch nit or box d which has a double bottom, the higher one e
being formed of a copper or iron or steel plate abundantly perforated with very
small holes coming out preferably in small raised cones.
A current of water is admitted under regulated prossure between the two
bottoms the result being a constant upward flow through the catch pit. The
gold particles when passing over the catch pit sink through the sand which is kept
by the numerous little jets of water from below in state of agitation similar to
a quicksand and the moment they have sank ever so little in this they are protected
from the current of water in the sluice box and they cannot be carried away but
continue to sink lower and lower until they rest on to the perforated plate 23
where they accumulate. A second opening g in the double box can be used for

page_text: cleaning it but this opening is generally kept closed. From time to time the main
box is emptied and the contents carefully panned or amalgamated or otherwise
treated.
In order to compel any floating gold to sink I arrange a sprinkler above the
quicksand box aforesaid so as to throw a fine spray on the surface of the water
while it is passing over the said quicksand catch pit thereby capsizing and sinking
the pellicules
or Hat scales of gold. I sometimes arrange one or two arms rotating
on the top of the supply pipe and perforated so that as they revolve by the action
of the water the spray is thrown to a certainty on every portion of the surface of
the catch pit.
Finally to catch the float gold I place in the last of a series of sluice boxes
amalgamated copper plates h arranged to float on the current by being rivetted
at one end to an iron bar laying transversely across the sluice box and hinged on
to it by means of two notches in the sides in which the said bar drops.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The arrangement of successive gratings and ejecting tubes with locked bottom
boxes to collect valuable materials as described.
2. The arrangement of a quicksand bed to allow the gold or other heavy material
to filter through as set forth.
3. The use of a sprinkler to sink float gold.
4. The use of a floating copper plate for the purpose and in the manner
described.