IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAIN- INC PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Cornides, of 4, Trafalgar Square, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAIN-
INC PRODUCTS THEREFROM"
TMC
Sealed the 1st September 1853, and dated the 8th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Cornides at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th July 1853.
I, LOUIS CORNIDES, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS POR
THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the use and application of a new construc-
tion of apparatus to be employed for separating, by the aid of chemical
aflinity, the quicksilver and metal from the sand and other substances
with which it might be mixed.
And an important feature in this Invention consists in employing
water during the process of separation. The nature of this Invention

page_text: will, however, be better understood by referring to the illustrative
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
A, A, marks an iron cylinder, water-tight, with movable top 7, 9,
screwed on at 1, 1, and with feet m, m; h, h, is a copper plate, extend-
ing over the sides and bottom of the cylinder; P, p. copper balls; B,
the vertical axle; C, a driving or spur wheel; d, d, a metal fan on
the axle B, from the line to the bottom of the axle; k, k, is a gland;
and i, a step or bearing for the axle B; e, is an inlet at whicli the
amalgamated material and water enter the cylinder together; f, an
outlet, at which the water and sand or other substance to be separated
from the quicksilver and precious metal flow out of the cylinder; ",
a small orifice, at which the quicksilver and precious metal flow out
of the cylinder; o, is a similar orifice, by which the quicksilver and
precious metal may flow from or into any other cylinder connected with
the cylinder A.
The machine is used by allowing the amalgamated material to flow
into the cylinder at the neck e, with a stream of water regulated in
force and quantity by a head of water above the level of the cylinder,
according to the nature of the material to be operated upon. The
fan d, d, is at the same time driven round by the wheel C, and the
water and sand or other substance to be separated flows off by the
neck ff. It should be observed, that should the washing in one
cylinder be found insufficient to separate all the quicksilver and precious
metal from the substances with which it may be mixed, the cylinder is
connected with another similar cylinder which is fitted at the neck e,
into the opening f, and so on from one cylinder to another. The copper
lining of the cylinder and the balls are rendered more efficacious by
rubbing them with an amalgam of 1 part of quicksilver and 2 parts of
saltpetre. The result of this operation is, that all the quicksilver and
precious metal coming into contact with the copper lining of the cylin-
der and the copper balls falls to the bottom, and remains there by
the force of chemical affinity of attraction and of gravity, and flows off

page_text: at the orifice, whilst the sand or earthy substances with which the
quicksilver and precious metal to be mixed flows off with the water
by f. f.
It should be observed, that any other metal having a chemical
affinity or attraction for quicksilver can be substituted for the copper,
and the cylinder may also be constructed of any material (instead of
iron) not having an affinity for quicksilver.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Cornides in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 7th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
LOUIS CORNIDES,. of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Louis Cornides, Her special licence
that I, the said Louis Cornides, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Cornides, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING
PRODUCTS THEREFROM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Louis Cornides, 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.

page_text: De performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists, in treating ores and minerals when combined
in an amalgam by means of certain apparatus constructed and arranged
for the separation of such amalgam from the sand and other substances
with which it is mixed, as will be understood by reference to the
Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a transverse and vertical section of an apparatus con-
structed according to my said Invention. Figure 2, a horizontal
section thereof, through the line C, D, at Figure 1. Figure 3, is a
transverse and vertical section of another form of construction of appa-
ratus, in which there are two sets of fans cmployed and a false bottom.
Figure 4, is a horizontal section through the line E, F, at Figure 3.
At each of the foregoing figures I employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be
seen at each of the Figures respectively. A, A, is an iron cylinder,
water-tight, with moveable top g, g, screwed on at 1, 1, and with
feet m, m; h, h, is a copper plate extending over the sides and bottom
of the cylinder; p, p, copper balls; B, the vertical axle; C, a driving or
spur wheel fixed thereon for imparting motion thereto; d, d, a metal
fan securely fixed on the axle B, or there may be several of such said
fans extending from the line d', to the bottom of the axle; h, k, is a
gland; and i,
step or bearing for supporting the axle B; e, is an
inlet at which the analgamated material and water enter the cylinder
together; f, an outlet, at which the water and sand or other substance
to be separated from the quicksilver and precious metal flow out of the
cylinder; n, a small orifice, at which the quicksilver and precious
metal flow out of the cylinder; o, is a similar orifice, by which the
quicksilver and precious metal may flow from or into any other cylinder
connected with the cylinder A.
The machine is used by allowing the amalgamated material to

page_text: flow into the cylinder at the neck e, with a stream of water regn-
latel in force and quantity by a head of water above the level of
the cylinder, according to the nature of the material to be operated
upon. The fan d, d, is at the same time driven round by the wheel C,
and the water and sand or other substance to be separated flows off
by the neck ff. It should be observed, that should the washing
in one cylinder be found insuflicient to separate all the quicksilver
and precious metal from the substances with which it may be mixed,
the cylinder is connected with another similar cylinder which is
fitted at the neck e, into the opening f, and so on from one cylinder
to another. The copper lining of the cylinder and the balls are
rendered more efficacious by coating them with a solution composed of
one part of quicksilver and two parts of nitric acid. The result of this
operation is, that the quicksilver and precious metal coming into contact
with the copper lining of the cylinder and the copper balls fall to the
bottom, and remain there and flow off at the orifice n, whilst the sand
or earthy substances with which the quicksilver and precious metal are
mixed flows off with the water by ƒ, f.
And as regards the difference of construction between the apparatus
exhibited at Figures 3, and 4, and that exhibited at Figures 1, and 2,
it consists in the use and employment of a second fan or set of fans
and a false bottom securely fixed within the cylinder, a hole being
formed in said false bottoni for the vertical shaft to pass through, as
also the water from the lower compartment in the cylinder. The
intention of this arrangement is to separate more effectually the
amalgam from the sand and other materials with which it may be
mixed, by subjecting the amalgam to a second and similar operation to
the first in the upper part of the cylinder, instead of operating thereon
only once, as before described with reference to the apparatus exhibited
at Figures 1, and 2.
It should be observed, that any other metal having a chemical
affinity or attraction for quicksilver can be substituted for the copper,
and the cylinder may also be constructed of any material (instead of
iron) not having an affinity for quicksilver.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be and may be performed, I would remark,
in conclusion, that I am aware that other apparatus have been proposed
for the separation of the amalgam from the sand and other materials
with which it may be mixed. And I hereby declare that what I claim
as the Invention intended to be secured by the said Letters Patent is,
the separation of an amalgam of quicksilver and precious metals from
the sand and earthy materials mixed therewith by means of apparatus
constructed and arranged as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Cornides, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
year of
Witness,
ALEX PRINCE,
Patent Agent,
LOUIS CORNIDES. (L.S.)
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.