IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CRUSH- ING ORES, AND SEPARATING THERE FROM GOLD, SILVER, OR OTHER METALS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CRUSH-
ING ORES, AND SEPARATING THERE FROM GOLD, SILVER, OR OTHER METALS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th November 1853.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
5 said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING ORES, AND SEPA-
BATING THERE FROM GOLD, SILVER, OR OTHER METALS CONTAINED THEREIN,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is, first, to crush or pulverize the quartz
or other ore containing the gold, silver, or other metal to be extracted,
and then carry the crushed or pulverized ore through a mercury bath, or

page_text: rather a series of mercury baths, whereby every particle of the metal
will be retained, leaving only the siliceous and earthy matters to be
carried over at the exit end of the machine.
The machine consists principally of a set of rollers or cylindrical
surfaces, to which an oscillating, undulating, vibratory, or rocking
motion is communicated, instead of a simple rotary motion, as here-
tofore. By this means the "ore is well triturated, and the metallic
particles scoured and cleaned from the oxides, sulphurets, arsenurets,
or other impurities with which they may be covered. These rollers or
cylindrical surfaces are attached to the ends of levers which have a
vibratory motion imparted to them so as to work the cylinders to and
fro in concave chambers or beds. The cylinders are toothed, jagged,
or roughened on their surface, and the ore when placed under the first
roller is quickly reduced to a coarse powder, and then passes on to a
second roller, where it undergoes a similar operation, and is still further
reduced. For the purpose of separating the metal from the impu-
rities the whole mass is made to pass through a body of mercury
contained in a trough or channel at the bottom of the concave chamber.
In order to assist the trituration of the ore a small stream of water
is allowed to run through the machine. The amalgamating process
will also be considerably facilitated by raising the temperature of the
mercury, which I effect by means of steam or hot water pipes placed in
the recess in which the mercury is lodged. An opening is made in the
side of the machine for the purpose of drawing off or removing the
amalgamated metals, and also for supplying the machine with fresh
mercury. It has been found by experience that even after passing
the triturated mass under. the two cylinders above described, that
a considerable portion of metal in minute. particles will still remain
mixed with the quartz or ore, and will have escaped amalgamation.
The pulverized materials are therefore passed under a series of fluted
or toothed rollers, which are made to rotate, and still further reduce the
ore, so that, when in a finely-divided state the metal may be again
brought into contact with mercury, which should also be heated, for the
purpose of rendering it more sensitive. The finely pulverized materials
are ultimtaely discharged from the machine in a thin sheet or layer,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said -William Edward Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th May 1854.
24
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery,
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters. Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, 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 William Edward Newton, Her special
license that I, the said William Edward Newton, my.executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton,
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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED MACHINERY, FOR, CRUSHING, ORES, AND SEPARATING THEREFROM
GOLD, SILVER,, OR OTHER METALS CONTAINED THEREIN," being a communi-
cation from Doctor Robert Hanham Collyer, of New York, upon the.
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,.
by an instrument in writing, under my hand and seal, should par
ticularly 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.
.
.k
V
.
NOW KNOW YE, -that-I, the said William Edward Newton, do

page_text: hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, 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 object of this Invention of "Improved Machinery for Crushing
Ores, and Separating therefrom Gold, Silver, or other Metals contained
therein," is, first, to crush or pulverize the quartz or other ore con-
taining the gold, silver, or other metal to be extracted, and then to
carry forward the crushed or pulverized ore through a mercury bath,
ór rather a series of mercury baths, whereby every particle of the
metal will be retained, leaving only the siliceous and carthy matters to
be carried over at the exit end of the machine.
The machine consists of two principal parts, namely, first, the ap-
paratus for crushing the ore or quartz. This part is composed of a set
of rollers or cylindrical surfaces, to which an oscillating, undulating,
vibratory, or rocking motion is communicated, instead of a simple rotary
or rolling motion, as heretofore. By this means the ore is not only
crushed but well triturated, and the metallic particles are scoured and
cleaned from the oxides, sulphurets, arsenurets, or other impurities
with which they may be covered or coated, and which impurities, until
they are removed, will prevent the after process of amalgamation from
being carreid on in a satisfactory manner. The rollers, cylinders, or
curved surfaces are attached to the ends of levers which have a
vibratory motion imparted to them so as to work the surfaces of the
cylinders to and fro in concave chambers or beds. The ore or quartz
having been sufficiently pulverized and triturated, the next process
is to separate the gold or precious metal therefrom. This is effected
by the amalgamating apparatus, which consists of any convenient
number of cylinders which may be toothed, jagged, or roughened
on their surface for the purpose of carrying forward the material
to be operated upon, and which-cylinders are made-to- revolve in
chambers supplied with mercury, through which the amagalmating
The ore,
cylinders, by their rotation, carry the pulverized ore.
when placed under the first crushing roller, is quickly reduced to

page_text: a coarse powder, and then passes on to a second crushing roller,
where it undergoes a similar operation, and is still further reduced
until it is brought to an impalpable powder, and for the purpose of
separating the metal from the impurities the whole pulverized mass is
made to pass in a divided state through a body of mercury contained
in troughs or channels at the bottom of the concave chambers, as above
mentioned. In order to assist the trituration of the ore a stream of
water is allowed to run through the machine. The amalgamating pro-
cess will also be considerably facilitated by raising the temperature of
the mercury, which I effect by means of steam or hot water pipes
placed in the recess in which the mercury is lodged; or the lower part
of the concave chambers of the amalgamating apparatus may be ex-
posed to the heat of steam, hot air, or hot water, for the purpose of
raising the temperature of the mercury. By employing steam, hot air,
or hot water for this purpose I am enabled to regulate the temperature
with facility, an object which cannot be so easily effected when a naked
fire is employed for heating the mercury. An opening is made in the
side of the machine in the mercury troughs or channels for the purpose
of drawing off or removing the amalgamated metals and supplying
fresh mercury.
It has been found by experience that although a
considerable portion of precious metal may be extracted during the
pulverizing and triturating operation, a considerable portion of metal
in minute particles will still remain mixed with the quartz or other
impurities, and will have escaped amalgamation. The pulverized or
triturated materials are therefore made to pass through the amalga-
mating apparatus, which, as before mentioned, consists of a series of
fluted or toothed rollers, which are made to rotate in chambers or
troughs supplied with mercury, so that the metal may be brought into
contact with an additional supply of mercury, which should be heated
for the purpose of rendering it more sensitive. These toothed or bucket-
shaped flutes or their equivalents on the amalgamators are intended to
distribute and intimately mix the pulverized ore with the mercury.
The finely pulverized materials, consisting of earthy and extraneous
substances, are ultimately discharged from the machine in a thin sheet
or layer, and made to pass over or through troughs supplied with mer

page_text: cury, for the purpose of arresting any small particles of metals that
may have escaped amalgamation during the previous processes of pul-
verization, trituration, and amalgamation above described.
In order, however, that the construction, arrangement, and operation
of the various parts of the machine may be more clearly understood;-I
have in the accompanying Drawing shewn various views of the machine
complete.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the machine, some of the parts being
shewni in section. Fig 2, is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3, is a
transverse section through the line a; a, of Figs. 1, and 2.
Fig. 4, is
a transverse section through the line b, b, of Figs 1 and 2. Fig. 5,
is a transverse section through the line d, d, of Figs. Pand 2
5
A, A¹; are heavy rollers, cylinders, or segments working on the con
cave cast iron bed plates B, B, and actuated by the connecting rod
C; C, attached to the levers or arms D; D; which are fixed in the said
rollers; and an undulating, vibrating, oscillating, and excentric motion is,
by means of these armis, communicated to the rollers A, A', so that a per-
fect crushing, grinding, or triturating action is produced upon the quartz
or other ore submitted to the operation of the cylinders or segments.
E, E, E, are sockets in which the arms or levers D may be placed.
By moving the arms or levers D from one of the sockets E to another
one, a fresh surface of the roller or cylinder may be brought into opera-
tion for the purpose of crushing and rubbing the ore or quartz. This
may be done when any one portion of the surface of the rollers-cylin-
ders, or segments has been so far worn away as to render it desirable
to change the position of the roller, cylinder, or segment. F, F, re-
present the side or cheek pieces of the machine, and which carry or
support the bed plates B, B', and confine the motion of the cylindrical
rollers A, A¹, in a direct line. G, G¹, are screens of various degrees of
fineness, through which the pulverized materials are "made to pass.
H, is a body of quicksilver contained in a groove or channel below
the second roller A', and through which the pulverized quartz or
ore pass, and deposits a certain portion of the precious metal
mixed therewith. The concave bed plate B₁ may be made and
used without the mercury chamber H, if thought desirable. I, I, I,

page_text: are pipes into, which steam or hot water is admitted in order to
heat the mercury at H, and render it more sensitive. A hole is
provided in the cheek piece at the end of the mercury chamber H,, as
shewn by the circle, by which the mercury or amalgam may be ex-
tracted. K, K, K, are three.. small cylindrical toothed rollers which
form the principal part of 'the amalgamating apparatus. These rollers
are provided with projecting teeth on their surface, and each roller is
carried on a spindle having bearings in the cheek pieces L, L'. The
rollers are placed in the concave apartments of the cheeks L, L', as
shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 5;. and on the revolution of these rollers
(each one being partially immersed in mercury contained in the con-
cave apartments) all the crushed, ore is carried in a finely divided state
through the mercury. N, N, N, are steps or ledges at the end of the
machine where mercury is placed, and over which all the refuse or
tailings has to pass before finally leaving the níachine. 0, 0, 0, are
apertures to draw off the mercury or amalgam at pleasure. M, is a
chamber for lieating the mercury contained in the concave apartinents
of the cheek pieces, and is for this purpose supplied with steam, hot
air, or lot water.
In operating with this machine, a quantity of quartz rock or other
ore is regularly thrown into the main crushing chamber at a, and by a
suitable arrangement, either of hopper or other convenient, contrivance,
a constant supply of the necessary quantity is admitted. A stream
of water is constantly, admitted into, the machine from the water
pipes. P, P, (shewn in Fig. 1,) and. motion is communicated from
the driving power through the. connecting rod C to the roller A, and
at the same time continued to the smaller roller A".by the connecting
rods C, C; thus a constantly vibratory, undulating, or partial rolling,
sliding, and rubbing action is kept up, which not only reduces the ore
into fine particles, but rubs .or. triturates the particles so as to cleanse
the gold or precious metal from any impurities with which it may be
coated. The machine has an inclination in one..direction, and the
pulverized ore being held in suspension by the agitated water, is passed
through. the. coarse screen G.into the smaller concave bed plate B¹;
where it undergoes a more perfect and finer-pulverization-and. tritura-

page_text: tion. The action of the second roller A¹ corresponds in effect with the
larger one; the coarse and fine particles of gold are here scoured, and
some of them are caught in the mercury chamber H. The ore being
now finely reduced is carried with the current of water through the
second and finer screen G into the amalgamator proper, where all the
reduced ore (in a thin layer or flake) is forced through the heated
mercury by the slow movement of the toothed or fluted rollers K, K, K,
which are made to rotate slowly by means of suitable gearing. The
finest and most minute particles of gold are here anialgamated; and if
any particles should have escaped the action of the toothed rollers they
will be caught on the ledges or steps N, N, N. The large cylindrical
rollers are made hollow, and by placing mercury in their interior a good
amalgamating action could be effected.
All auriferous ores are accompanied by iron, copper, manganese, lead,
or some other metal in the form of sulphurets, arsenurets, oxides, or
with mica and tale. These compounds are what the Spanish miners call
"malatella," and are a great source of annoyance and difficulty in the
extraction of gold and silver from their ores, more particularly by the
mercurial process (i. e. amalgamation), because the gold particles are
coated with the oxide of iron, sulphuret of iron, or some other "mala-
tella," which causes them to resist the attraction for the mercury which
otherwise would exist if the surface of the gold particles were bright
and free from any extraneous coating. Another serious difficulty exists
in the tales, micaceous slate and iron, forming a greasy, oily, unctuous
substance, which floats on the surface of the inercury. Should the
mercury be broken up into minute globules, each one of these will be
coated with this substance, thereby preventing any affinity for the fine
particles of gold which are disseminated throughout the ore. This is
more particularly the case in the sulphurets, arsenurets, and especially
in the ferruginous, ochreous, decomposed quartz, which is so rich on
analysis; yet with the shaking tables, whirling pans, rotating tubs,
revolving basins and balls, usually employed for extracting gold, this
ore is found to yield hardly any gold. The failure of all the contri-
vances to recover the gold in practice arises from their not fulfilling
the chemico-mechanical conditions so imperatively required to insure

page_text: success in gold mining, (viz.) the trituration and friction of the gold
particles so as to remove the "malatella," and preserve the mercury in
bulk. The consequence of the ignorance or non-observance of these
conditions is, that. at the gold mines of Virginia, North and South Caro-
lina, Georgia, and California, on washing the tailings or refuse sand
a large quantity of amalgam, mercury, and coated gold may be
recovered.
The objects to be attained for the perfect extraction of gold from
its ore or matrix, and which it is believed are attained by the improved
machine above described, are, first, to reduce the ore to an impalpable
powder, the finer the better and the larger will be the quantity of
gold extracted; second, triturating or scouring the auriferous particles
so as to remove the extraneous covering therefrom, and produce a
bright surface, so indispensable to successful amalgamation; third, it
is absolutely necessary that the mercury should be kept in bulk, and
that the pulverized ore should be thoroughly incorporated with it, and
in such quantities that every particle of gold will be mercurialized;
fourth, heating the mercury so that it is rendered sensitive and
quickened, at the same time being made to present a large surface for
amalgamation.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent as aforesaid, I would observe, in
conclusion, that I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to the
precise arrangement or construction of parts herein shewn and described,
as they may doubtless be varied without departing from the nature and
object, of the present Invention; nor do I intend to claim as new the
use of curved surfaces for crushing or triturating hard substances; but
that which I consider to be new in the above-described machine and
process, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, is,-
First, the general arrangement and combination of parts above shewn
and described, or any mere modification thereof, for the purpose of
crushing and triturating ores, and separating therefrom, by means of
amalgamation or otherwise, the gold, silver, or other metals they may
contain.

page_text: I also claim the use of cylinders, rollers, or segments of cylinders
working in concave bed plates; such rollers, when put in motion, having
a partial rolling, undulating, or vibratory movement, as described, pro-
ducing thereby a-triturating, sliding, and rubbing of the surfaces of the
said' rollers against the substance to be operated upon, and which
motion crushes, triturates, and rubs or cleanses the quartz rock or any
other ore or material submitted to its action.
I also claim the use and combination of the corrugated or toothed
cylindrical rollers, with the concave apartments or chambers in which
they revolve, such concave apartments or chambers being supplied with
mercury in bulk for tlie purpose of amalgamation.
"I claim the use and application of steam, hot air, or hot water, in
pipes or chambers, for the purpose of heating the mercury in order to
assist the process of amalgamation.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Second day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)