IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING QUARTZ AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hamilton, of the City and State of New
York, in the United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING QUARTZ AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 17th August 1854, and dated the 1st May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hamilton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
May 1854.
I, JAMES HAMILTON, of the City and State of New York, in the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING QUARTZ AND OTHER SUBSTANCES" to
be as follows:-
I form a cylindrical nut or pestle with an arm projecting from one side, to
the end of which arm a connecting rod is jointed, that receives a reciprocating
motion by competent power, which communicates a partial rotary vibrating.
motion to the cylindrical pestle. This pestle is mounted on an axis or journals,
on which it vibrates, and is set into a basin or mortar, of a shape nearly
corresponding to that of the pestle, but the section of the lower part of the
basin is a circle of larger diameter than the pestle; consequently, as the cylin-
drical pestle rests on the bottom, the space between the pestle and its enclosing

page_text: basin is the form of a curved wedge, the sides of the basin gradually approach-
ing to the pestle until it touches the bottom. The upper cylindrical surface
of the pestle, as also the sides of the basin, may be grooved or corrugated, to
break or crack the lumps of quartz or similar substances that are placed in the
basin.
The axis or journals of the pestle are sustained in sliding boxes in the ends
of the basin, so as to-allow-of a slight amount of lifting-motion to the pestle
in case of obstructions thereto; and where the weight of the pestle is not
sufficient to keep the same down on to the material under treatment, levers
may be so attached and weighted as to operate on the journals, and force the
pestle down with any desired amount of power..
The lowest portion of the basin is slightly hollowed down, and a recess
parallel with the axis in the bottom. side of the pestle receives a scraper, which,
as the pestle vibrates, on power being applied to the same, stirs up and mixes
the finely comminuted particles of quartz or other material under treatment,
securing a thorough pulverization of the same.
Where this machine is applied to auriferous quartz, the grinding and rubbing
operation of the pestle will clean and separate the particles of gold more
perfectly from the matrix, and ensure its better combination with the
mercury.
In cases where the material under treatment does not require to be very
finely comminuted, the journals of the pestle may be sustained at the required
point by screws or similar means.
My claim in connection with this Invention will be based upon the com-
bination of a pestle set and vibrating on an axis or. journals, with the basin
inclosing the same, as specified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HAMILTON, of the City and State of New York, in the. United States of
America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of May, A. D. One thousand eight

page_text: hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Hamilton, Her special license that I, the said James Hamilton, my
executors, adininistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Hamilton, 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, usc, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING QUARTZ AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Hamilton, 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 per-
formed, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hamilton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The nature of my said Invention consists in the use of a cylindrical nut
or pestle, in a similarly formed basin, the pestle having a partial rotary motion
communicated to it by means of a lever attached thereto.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a side view of
the driving wheels and section of the crusher through line a, a, of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section, through line b, b. The like marks of reference
denote the same parts.
c is a pulley, propelled by competent power, which rotates a pinion d,
gearing into a wheel e, and moving the same. These parts are sustained on
suitable foundations A. f is a connecting rod passing from a crank pin x to
an arm or lever g, attached to or formed with the cylindrical pestle or nut h,
communicating thereto a partial rotary motion back and forth. This cylin-
drical pestle h is mounted on a shaft i, the projecting ends of which enter
journal boxes k, set in slides within the flanches that project from the
side plates m, which side plates are attached to the flanches of the basin n
by means of bolts 3.
The basin n, resting on supports 4, is semicircular on the bottom, and

page_text: slightly larger than the pestle h; consequently, as said pestle rests on the
bottom of the basin, the distance between the pestle and the inside of the
basin gradually increases towards the top of the basin, and near the upper
part of the basin corrugations or flutes 2 are formed, and also on the upper
surfaces of the pestle similar flutes 1, 1, are formed, which flutes are largest
near the top,, and grow smaller lower down.
The boxes are fitted so that they will slide vertically within the flanches 1,
and a cap or plater screwed on makes the basin water-tight.
Beneath the boxes k, set screws 5 are provided, which prevent the boxes
and pestle descending farther than is required; and 6, 6, are pins passing
through the flanches 1, and resting on the tops of the boxes k, the upper ends
of which set under levers o, one on each side of the crusher, which levers are
attached by fulcrums 7, and provided with weights p, by which the power
applied to keep down the pestle can be regulated.
In
The operation of this apparatus is, that when auriferous quartz or any other
substance is placed in the basin on each or either side of the cylindrical
pestle h, the same is finely broken by the corrugations or flutes 1 & 2, as the
pestle is given a partial rotary motion back and forth; and as the broken and
crushed pieces descend, the smooth surfaces, which gradually approach each
other, finely grind and comminute the same, till it is finally passed away by a
gutter or shoot q below the pestle. The motion I thus attain is particularly
adapted for separating gold from the quartz, as it is a rubbing motion, tending
to flatten as well as thoroughly cleanse the gold from the matrix. In this
case water should be supplied into the basin in any convenient manner.
cases where the material ground and crushed does not require to be finely
comminuted, the screws 5, 5, can be adjusted so as to sustain the pestle at the
required height from the bottom of the basin, and the levers o furnish a means
for applying any required amount of power to keep the pestle down and cause
it to grind the substances operated on, and in case of any obstruction that
cannot be ground getting into the basin, the levers allow the same to pass
through the journal boxes ke rising in their slides. The surface of the cylin-
drical pestle, and also the interior of the basin, may be provided with movable
cheek pieces, to be replaced by others when worn out.
I am aware that a cylindrical pestle or roller has been used on a flat or
concave surface, but I am not aware of a cylindrical pestle ever before having
been mounted and moving on a shaft as specified; therefore I claim the means
herein described and shewn for cracking and grinding metallic ores or other
substances, consisting of the cylindrical pestle h set on the shaft i, on which

page_text: it has a partial rotary motion, in combination with the basin n, in which the
same moves, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hamilton, bave hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witnesses,
LEMUEL W. SERRELL,
289, Broadway, New York.
THOMAS G. HAROLD,
No. 20, Bergen St., Brooklyn.
JAMES HAMILTON. (L.S.)