IMPROVE. MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND REDUCING ORES, AND EXTRACTING THE METAL THEREFROM
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Walker, of James Street, Saint Luke's, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of " IMPROVE.
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND REDUCING ORES, AND EXTRACTING
THE METAL THEREFROM."
"
Scaled the 17th January 1873, and dated the 24th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th July 1872.
I, JOHN WALKER, of James Street, Saint Luke's, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND REDUCING ORES, AND
EXTRACTING THE METAL THEREFROM," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the production of an improved
machine or machinery for raising from the mine and stamping or
reducing metallic ores, and for separating or extracting the metal con-
tained therein or produced therefrom. The said machine or machinery

page_text: :
may be driven by nanⱭ, norse, steam, or other power, and is cONSTERGLOR
as follows:-
Firstly. For raising the ore from the mine I mount upon a strong
frame of wood, secured to sleepers or foundation timbers at the back of
or near to the shaft of the mine a horizontal double iron frame, which
is made to slide backwards and forwards by a strong screw or lever. On
this frame are four bearings for carrying two drums. These bearings are
so placed that one of the said drums is on one side, and a little in
advance of the other. On each of the axles of these drums is fixed a
spur wheel, which wheels are cast from the same pattern, and are kept :
constantly in gear with each other. Motion is imparted to them by
another spur wheel, which gears into each of them alternately as the said
iron frame is moved to and fro. This lower wheel is fixed to the main
driving shaft, which works below the said drums and runs the whole
length of the wood frame.
The principal object of the double iron sliding frame is to put each of
the spur wheels of the said drums out of gear with the lower or driving
wheel alternately, which roverses the motions or rotations of the said
drums, so that they by turns raise the oro from the mine and lower the
empty bucket or tub without interfering with the motion of the main
shaft, which constantly rotates in one direction for the other purposes of
the machinery. When the drums are moved only half the distance of
the play of the said iron frame both their spur wheels are out of gear
with the lower one which actuates them, and they will then cease to
rotate until again moved into gear with the said lower wheel, and
without interfering with the reducing or stamping operation.
The buckets or tubs are lowered and raised in the ordinary way by
flat or other ropes or chains, which unwind from and wind on tho said
drums, and work over pullies or gins fixed over the shaft of the mine.
When a bucket or tub of ore is raised to the requisite height it is guided
or moved over the place of deposit, both drums are thrown out of gear, as
previously described, and the tub of ore allowed to fall to the required
height for tipping by its own gravity, being kept under control by a
break provided for that purpose. The said tub of ore is then tipped or
otherwise deposited, and the empty tub or bucket is swung to its former
position over the shaft of the mine, when, by the requisite movement of
the said iron frame the proper drum wheel for raising the full bucket or
.

page_text: tub is moved into gear with the said driving wheel, and the empty
bucket or tub descends into the mine by its own gravity and the
unwinding of its rope.
Such of the ore as requires it is broken to a suitable size in any
ordinary way, and then thrown into a hopper or hoppers conveniently
placed near the stamping apparatus, so that the ore may gradually. pass
on to the stamping bed, to be there stamped or reduced by the stampers.
This process is performed either with or without the addition of water.
In the former case it is called "wet stamping," and in the latter is
called "dry stamping," and the product or stamped stuff (a mixture of
powdered ore and water) is called "slime.”
The stampers are of solid iron, and are arranged in sets as required, and
are maintained in their vertical positions by two or three longitudinal
timbers or guide frames. Each stamper consists of a vertical shaft,
shank, or rod of iron two and a half to three inches in diameter, and from
eight feet to ten feet long, the upper or topmost end of which for about
sixteen inches in length I either form about four inches square or
securely fix thereto a piece of hard metal sixteen inches long by about
four inches square, which works in a square hole in the timber guide,
cither cased or not with metal. The object of this arrangement is to
prevent the stampers turning round when being lifted or put in motion.
At from two to three feet from the uppermost end of each of these
vertical shafts a square plate or cap of cast iron, about seven inches
square by some two or three inches thick, is securely and firmly fixed,
and on which the lifters act. On the lower end of each of the said
vertical shafts is cast a block of iron, either octagonal, square, circular,
or other convenient section, about sixteen inches long or high by about
eight inches thick. For convenience and economy I fix a hard metal
foot to the under end of this iron block of the same section and about
four inches deep. This foot is made with a taper projection on its upper
end fitting into a corresponding recess formed in the said block. When
this block requires removing I drive it out of the block by means of
wedges, a rectangular hole or slot being cast or formed in the said block
at the proper place for that purpose. On the top of this block of metal
I fix a circular or other shaped plate of metal, twelve to fourteen inches
in diameter by about one inch thick, to prevent the slime or water from
splashing upwards instead of passing through the gratings when the
stampers are at work.

page_text: In order to secure a somewhat regular wear of the sides or edges of
the bottom of the said foot I, as occasion serves, turn the said shaft, and
all that is secured to it, by the following arrangement:-At a con-
venient height above the ground for a man to perform the operation I
fix to the framing a horizontal timber guide for the vertical shaft to
work in or through; on the upper side of this timber I fix two halves of
an iron plate bored or or formed to fit the shaft casily, and about five
inches square at the outer side thereof by an inch thick, having a
circular collar cast thereon to fit the said shaft about two inches high
by one inch thick. On the top of this collar rests an iron ring, about
three inches deep by one and a half inches thick, on which are cast
opposite each other two strong projecting handles; this ring is tapped
through its thickness to receive a set screw. When it is required to
turu the stamper the latter is raised by a lever, or by any ordinary and
efficient means, sufficiently high for the square portion of the vertical
shaft at its upper end to clear the socket in which it works. I then
secure the said ring by its set screw to the said shaft, and by means of
its two handles turn the stamper any required portion of a rotation.
The stamping bed consists of a heavy iron trough fixed on a firm
foundation of timber or other suitable material. In the bottom of this
trough recesses are formed, one under each stamper; at the centre of
cach of these recesses a hole is cast or bored through the bottom of the
said trough; each recess is covered by a strong moveable grating for
the broken ore when reduced by "dry stamping to pass through. When
water is used, which may be supplied in any ordinary way by pipes or
otherwise, I remove the said grates or gratings, and substitute therefor
solid iron plates to close the said recess in the bottom of the trough.
The insides of the back and front plates have grooves cast in them for
the purpose of receiving grates or gratings of very small or fine spaces or
openings; these grates, on three sides of the stamper, are set at an
incline, so that the "slime" when splashed upwards may fall thereon,
and pass through more readily, and fall or flow on to a washing table,
where it is washed in the usual way.
In the case of gold bearing ores I propose to convey the "slime" into
a trough called "the amalgamating trough,” which trough I make the
same length as the bed for each set of stampers; it is placed about twelve
inches to eighteen inches from the stamping bed. The bottom of the

page_text: said trough is about two feet below the level of the grates or plates of
the said stamping bed. The form of this trough in cross section is about
eighteen inches deep at the side next the stampers, four inches deep at
the front or opposite side, and fifteen inches wide. About two inches
from the back or side next the stampers of this trough, and half an
inch from its bottom, I place a moveable longitudinal partition; between
this partition and the front of the trough I provide a rotating toothed or
bladed drum or roller worked by the machinery to throw the "slime"
(after passing from the back to the front part of the said trough through
mercury, with which the said trough is charged), over the front or lower
side of this trough into the next trough, which is similarly formed, pro-
vided, and worked, and so on for the requisite number of troughs
required to extract all the gold from the ore.
The machinery for working the stampers is constructed and operates
as follows:-On or near the top of two strong upright frames, placed at
the requisite distance for the number of stampers in the set, I mount in
suitable bearings a strong horizontal shaft or axle in or about thic same
horizontal plane as the under side of the said cap of the stampers, and at
the requisite distance therefrom. Side by side on this shaft I fix or fit
two sets of curved iron or steel arms, four arms in each set; cach of
these sets of arms are cast in the same mould, and are so placed on the
said shaft or axle that the outer ends of the arms work and act together
in pairs like a fork, one on each side of the shaft of the stampers, and
during their rotation come in contact with the under side of the cap of
cach stamper about an inch beyond the shaft of the stampers, and thus
simultaneously raise or lift the said cap, and with it the stamper to
which it is attached vertically with little or no lateral strain or friction.
As soon as each pair of arms has passed clear of the said caps the
stampers fall by their own gravity upon the stamping bed, or upon the
ore thereon. The stampers are thus operated four times during the
revolution of the said horizontal shaft, so that the ore is speedily
reduced. For the purpose of lubrication I so place a curved trough
charged with water that the tips of the said curved arms dip therein
when at the lower part of their rotation, by which they slide clear of the
lifted caps with greatly reduced friction.

page_text: The motive power for actuating this stamping machinery or apparatus
may be given direct by or through the main shaft, previously described,
or by any other usual means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jolin Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on 5
the 24th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joun
Walker, of James Street, Saint Luko's, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 1
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Walker, Her special licence that I,
the said John Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such 1
others as I, the said John Walker, 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 MACHINERY FOR RAISING AND
REDUCING ORES, And Extracting the Metal therepROM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Walker, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, 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 Offico
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, tho said Jolin Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The object of this Invention is the production of an improved machine

page_text: metallic ores, and for separating or extracting the metal contained
therein or produced therefrom. The said machine or machinery may be
driven by hand, horse, steam, or other power, and the modes of con-
structing and operating the same are as follows :—
In order that my said improved machinery may be more clearly and
more fully understood, and be more readily carried out in practice, I will
explain the same with the aid of the accompanying Drawing, which
forms part of this Specification, reference being made thereto by the
letters and figures marked thereon, which reference applies to each Figure
of the said Drawing where the same index letters and figures appear.
Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machinery (drawn to an enlarged
scale) used in raising the ore from the mine, and showing the drum
wheels out of gear with the driving wheel, and also a sketch of the metal
slide frame; Figure 2 is a side clevation; and Figure 3, a horizontal
plan of the same, and showing a mode of applying horse power
thereto.
Figure 4 is an end view of the iron frame for throwing the drum
wheels alternately into gear and out of gear with the driving wheel.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a set of four stamps; Figure 6 is an
end elevation of the same.
Figure 7 is a plan of the stamping bed.
Figure 8 is a side view of a stamp and stamping bed with the amal-
gamating trough, and shewing my improved lifter; Figure 9 is a front
elevation of the stamping bed or trough; Figure 10 is an elevation of
the inside of the back of the said stamping bed or trough.
Figure 11 is a front elevation of a pair of alternative lifters; and
Figure 12 is an inside elevation of one of the said alternative lifters.
For raising the ore from the mine I mount upon a strong framework a
secured to sleepers or foundation timbers 6 at the back of or near to the
shaft c of the mine a horizontal doublé iron frame d, which is made to
slide or move backwards and forwards by a strong screw e, or by a lever.
On this frame are four bearings e¹ for carrying two drums e³. These
bearings are so placed that one of the said drums is on one side, and a
little in advance of the other, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3. On each
side of the axles d' of thesc drums is fixed a spur wheel e³, which spur
wheels are cast from the same pattern, and are kept constantly in gear

page_text: with each other. Motion is imparted to them by another spur wheel eª,
which gears into each of them alternately as the said iron frame d is
moved to and fro. This lower or driving wheel e' is fixed to the main
driving shaft e², which works below the said drums, and runs the whole
length of the frame, or nearly so, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3.
The principal object of the double iron sliding frame d is to put each
of the spur wheels c³ out of gear with the driving wheel e alternately,
which reverses the motions or rotations of the drums e³, so that they
by turns raise the 'ore from the mine, and lower the empty vessel without
interfering with the motion of the main shaft, which constantly rotates
in one direction for the other purposes of the machinery. When the
drums are moved only half the distance of the play of the said
iron frame both their spur wheels are out of gear with the driving
wheel e, as shewn in Figure 1, and they will cease to rotate until
again moved into gear with the said driving wheel e', and without
interfering with the reducing or stamping operation.
The buckets, tubs, or other vessels which contain the ore when being
raised from the mine are lowered and raised in the ordinary way (sce
Figure 1) by flat or other ropes or chains, which, unwinding from and
winding on the said drums e² work over pullies or gins fixed over the
shaft c of the mine. When a vessel of ore is raised to the requisito
height it is guided or moved over the place of deposit, both the drums e³
are thrown out of gear, as previously described, and the said vessel of
ore allowed to fall to the required height or level for tipping by its own
gravity, being kept under control by an ordinary break provided for that
purpose; the said vessel of ore is then tipped, or the ore otherwiso
deposited, and the empty vessel is swung to its former position over the
shaft of the mine; when by the requisite movement of the iron frame d
the proper drum wheel for raising the full vessel from the bottom of
the mine is moved into gear with the driving wheel e', and the empty ;
vessel descends into the mine by its own gravity and the unwinding of
its rope.
Such of the ore as requires it is broken to a suitable size, in any
convenient way, and then, with the small portions, thrown into a hoppers,
when it is further crushed in passing between the rollers, Figures 23
and 8. This crushing apparatus is conveniently placed near the stamping
apparatus, so that the ore may gradually pass on to the stamping bed g
to be there stamped or still further reduced by the stamps h.
This

page_text: process is performed either with or without the addition of water. In
the former case it is called "wet stamping," and in the latter " dry
stamping," and the product, when wet, is called "slimes."
The stampers or stamps are of solid iron, and are arranged in rows or
sets (see Figure 5), and are maintained in their vertical positions by the
longitudinal guides i. Each stamp or stamper consists of a vertical
shaft about three inches in diameter, and from eight to ten feet long,
the upper or topmost end of which for about sixteen inches in length
I either form from four inches to six inches square, or securely fix.
thereto a piece of hard metal about sixteen inches long by from four to
six inches square, which part works in a square hole formed in the
upper guide i. The object of this arrangement is to prevent the stamps /
turning round when being lifted or put in motion. At from two to
three feet from the upper end of each of the vertical shafts i¹, a
square plate or cap of cast iron, about seven inches squaro by some
two or three inches thick, is securely and firmly fixed thereto, and
on which the lifters 1, ^, acts. On the lower end of each of the
shafts is cast a block of iron h, either square, octagonal, circular, or
other convenient section, about sixteen inches long, and about eight
inches thick. For convenience and economy I fix a hard metal foot h¹
to the under end of the block of the same section as the said block,
and about four inches deep. This foot is made with a taper projection
or tenon h³ on its upper part fitting into a corresponding recess formed in
the block h. When this foot requires removing I drive it out of the
said recess by means of wedges, a rectangular hole or slot ³ being cast
or formed in the block h for that purpose.
In order to secure a somewhat regular wear of the sides or edges of
the bottom of the foot h', I, as occasion serves, turn the shaft, and all
that is secured to it, by the following arrangement:-At a convenient
height above the ground line, say, on the lower guide i I fit loosely on
the shafts an iron collar or ring i, resting on the said lower guide,
about four inches deep and an inch and a half thick, on which are cast,
opposite cach other, two strong projecting handles i. When it is
desired to turn the stamp foot h³, I secure the collar to the shaft. i¹
by a set screw fitted in the said collar, then raise the stamp by a
lever or otherwise sufficiently high for the square part at the upper
end of the vertical shaft to clear the socket in which it works, and then
by means of the two handles turn the stamp the required portion of
a rotation.

page_text: On the top of the block is a plate or flange of metal j, twelve to
fourteen inches in diameter, and about one inch thick, to prevent the
slimes or water splashing upwards, instead of passing through the
gratings, when the stamps are at work.
fixed on a firm
the bottom of this
The stamping bed consists of a heavy iron trough
foundation of timber or other suitable material; in
trough recesses are formed, one under each stamp. At the centre of
cach of these recesses a hole is cast in or bored through the bottom of
the said trough; each recess is covered by a strong moveable grating for
the broken ore, when reduced by "dry stamping," to pass through. |
When water is used, which may be supplied in any ordinary way by
pipes or otherwise, I remove the said grates or gratings, and substitute
therefor solid iron plates to close the said recessos in the bottom of the
trough. The bed and the insides of the back and front plates have
grooves m cast in them for the purpose of receiving grates or gratings of
very small or fine spaces or openings. These grates, on three sides of
the stamp trough, are set at an incline, so that the slimes when splashed
upwards by the stamp are thrown on to these grates by the flangeƒ, and
thus pass more readily through the openings thereof, and fall or flow
through the side channels on to a washing table, where they are washed
in the usual way.
"
"
In the case of gold bearing ores I propose to convey the slimes into a
trough called the "amalgamating trough," which trough I make the
same length as the bed for each set of stamps. It is placed about twelve
inches to eighteen inches from the stamping bed; the bottom of the
frame of the said trough is about two feet below the level of the grates
or plates, and fifteen inches wide; the trough is about eighteen inches
deep at the side n² next the stamps, and four inches deep at the front
or opposite side n³. About two inches from the back n² of this trough,
and half an inch from its bottom, I place a moveable longitudinal
partition p. Between this partition and the front of the trough I pro-
vide a rotating, toothed, or bladed drum or roller o, worked by tho
machinery to throw the slimes after they have passed from the back
to the front part of the trough through mercury (with which the said
trough is charged up to about the level of the red line A, B,) over the
front or lower side of this trough into an adjoining trough, similarly
formed, provided, and worked, and so on through the requisite number
of troughs required to extract all the gold from the ore or slimes;

page_text: also, the side channels s may be sunk, or their bottoms formed lower
than their outlets, and mercury placed therein to attract the particles
of gold which will fall to the bottom by their superior gravity.
The machinery for working the stamps is constructed and operates as
follows:-On or near the top of two strong upright frames q placed at
the requisite distance apart for the number of stamps in the set, I
mount in suitable bearings a strong horizontal shaft or axler in or a
little below the horizontal plane of the under side of the cap of the
stamps, and at the requisite distance therefrom. Side by side on this
shaft r I fix or fit two sets of curved iron or steel arms or lifters 1, four
in cach set. These lifters are all cast in the same mould, and are
so placed on the said shaft or axle that their outer ends work and act in
pairs like a fork, one on each side of the shafts of the stamps, and
during their rotation come at the same time in contact with the under
side of the caps about an inch beyond the shafts (see Figure 8), and
directly opposite each other, and thus simultaneously raise or lift the
said caps as they pass from one side thereof to the other, and with the
cap the stamp to which it is attached vertically, and with little or no
lateral strain or friction. As soon as cach pair of lifters has passed clear
of the said caps the stamps fall by their own gravity upon the stamping
bed, or upon the ore thereon. Or I fix on the said shaft r a set of four
iron or steel arms or lifters 1 (see Figures 11 and 12), which operate
laterally, and lift the stamps as previously described. The said stamps
are thus operated four times during one revolution of the shaft r, so that
the ore is speedily reduced. For the purpose of lubrication I so place
a curved trough charged with water that the lifters dip therein when
at the lower part of their rotation, by which means they slide clear of
the lifted caps with reduced friction.
If desired this lifting apparatus and the caps ³ may be placed lower
down the frames g and the shafts i¹.
The motive power for actuating my said improved stamping apparatus
may be given or applied thereto direct by or through the main driving
shaft es, by wheel and band, or by any other usual means.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact forms or shapes and

page_text: dimensions herein specified; but I claim as my Invention, and desire to
secure by the before-mentioned in part recited Letters Patent,-
Tirstly The iron sliding frame and its annaratus
JOHN WALKER. (L.S.)