IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR THEAL THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Cornides, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR THE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Cornides at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd May 1858.
I. LOUIS CORNIDES, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN ORES AND MINERALS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the use and application of newly con-
structed apparatus for the purpose of amalgamating the gold and silver
of such minerals, or earthy substances, as contain it, so as to separate
these metallic portions from the other constituent parts of such said
minerals, and afterwards to separate the gold and silver from the
quicksilver employed in the process of amalgamation, which may be
effected in the following manner-In conducting the first part of the

page_text: process, the minerals or carthy substances are crushed or pulverised
and then placed in a vessel of the construction exhibited at Sheet 1
which is formed of a material which has no chemical affinity for quick
silver, and said vessel is connected with an air-tight chamber at the
bottom thereof. The minerals or carthy substances are then covered
with a stratum of quicksilver, so as to completely exclude the atmo
spheric air therefrom; the air is then exhausted from the chamber
below, and such exhausting operation is continued until the quicksilve
begins to enter said chamber. The effect of this part of the process is
to amalgamate the gold and silver contained in minerals or carthy
substances after they have been pulverized, or reduced to a state of
powder. They are then placed in a vessel of the construction exhibited
at Sheet 2, and undergo the second part of the process, by which the
above-mentioned pulverized mixture is delivered gradually, by means
of a hopper, to a revolving cylinder, formed of a material which has a
chemical affinity for quicksilver; and, as the metallic portions are thus
accumulated upon the surface of said cylinder, they are removed there-
from by a revolving brush, and fall, by their gravity, into a trough or
compartment beneath, and the refuse carth and other extraneous
matters or substances fall into a separate trough. It should be
observed, that in order to remove and collect the metallic particles of
the metals which are so fine as not to be removed by the brush, I
propose to employ and introduce a current of air, or fan blast, at the
opposite side of the cylinder. The effect of this part of the process is
to separate the quicksilver and the amalgam from the cartby sub-
stances. The mixture is then placed in a vessel of the construction
exhibited at Sheet 3, to undergo the third part of the process; such
said vessel being formed of a material which has no chemical affinity
for quicksilver. This vessel is formed with an air-tight chamber, which
is separated or divided from the upper part of said receptacle or vessel
by placing a piece of docskin over and upon an iron plate, finely per-
forated. The air is then exhausted from this chamber until quicksilver
ceases to flow therefrom; and the effect of this part of the process is to
separate the quicksilver from the gold and silver amalgam. The
above-mentioned amalgamated metals are then placed in a retort, to

page_text: undergo the fourth and last part of the process. The month of this
retort is made air-tight, and the purpose of this retort is to separate
the quicksilver from the gold and silver, which is effected by having a
constant flow of water into a small chamber, situate at that part of
the retort where the head or cap is screwed on to the mouth of the
retort; for which purpose it is necessary that the mouth of the retort
should be projected sufficiently far from the mouth of the furnace.
But in order to explain and ascertain the nature of this Invention
more fully, I will proceed to describe the illustrative Drawings here-
unto annexed, as follows:-Sheet 1, exhibits a transverse and vertical
and horizontal section of the apparatus to be employed for conducting
the first part of the process. A, marks a tub; B, the handle thereof;
C, the air pipe, of gutta percha; D, the tap; E, an iron band, with
two pegs or pins for placing the tub in a vertical position; F, a fine
sieve, or perforated part of the air pipe G, to the upper part of which
an air pump is connected; E, I, denotes the mixture containing gold
or silver, and I, I, the quicksilver thereon. Sheet 2, exhibits a trans-
verse and vertical section of that portion of the apparatus which is
employed for conducting the second part of the process; and Sheet S.
is an external elevation of said apparatus. At both these Sheets of
Drawings I employ the same letters of reference to denote corre-
sponding parts. A, A, marks a box, in which is placed the amalga-
mated sand, dust, clay, or mixture of earthy substances from the tub or
vessel exhibited at Sheet 1; B, a copper cylinder, upon which the
quicksilver is collected by chemical affinity; C, the axis of said
cylinder; D, a brush formed with doeskin pads, for removing the
metallic portions which adhere to the cylinder B; the brush is at-
tached to a wooden roller, which is mounted upon axes suitably sup-
ported. E, is a stud mounted upon a pin; the upper part a, of this
stud takes into a hole in the botton of the box A, said box being
mounted in a cradle F. F. b. is a hopper through which passes the
pulverized mixture from the box A, to the cylinder B. G, marks an
elastic band for bringing back the box after it has been moved in one
direction by the tappet H, shewn at Sheet 3. K, marks a knob,
against which the box strikes, for agitating the mixture therein. At

page_text: Sheet 8, I marks a spur wheel mounted upon a stud a, fixed to the
framing of the apparatus; the spur wheel I, takes or gears into
pinions K, and L; the pinion K, is keyed upon the axis of the
cylinder, and the pinion L, is keyed upon the axis of the roller for
imparting rotatory motion to such parts. I, marks that stud or pin
upon which the stud E, at Sheet 1, is placed; and there is a screwed
pin passed through the pin 1, against which the pins m, m, in the
spur wheel strike, as this wheel rotates, and by which the necessary
rocking or jolting movement of the box is effected. The metallic por-
tions thus collected are then placed in the amalgamating press exhi-
bited at Sheet 4, where the third part of the process is conducted.
A, A, marks a tub formed with chambers B, and C; D, marks the
handle thereof, which is of gutta percha. E, marks an air pipe, the
bottom part whereof is open, and communicates with the chamber B;
and the upper part of said pipe passes through the handic D, and has
a stopper o, securely fixed thereto, which is in connection with an air
pump. The lower part of the pipe E, is perforated with small holes,
and the outside of this part of the pipe is covered with doeskin. The
mixture is now placed in the retort exhibited at Sheet 4, where the fourth
and last part of the process is conducted. A, marks an iron pipe; B,
the cover thereof; C, a leather ring; D, a small reservoir formed with
two openings, for the admission and emission of water. E, is a guard
for keeping coals around the pipe A. F, is a larger reservoir of water
for condensing the quicksilver, and thereby separating it from the gold
and silver; G, the box in which the amalgam is placed to be operated
unon

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Louis Cornides, Her special licenco 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, usc, 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 par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Cornides, do 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 thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists in the new practical application of a principle,
and in the use and employment of apparatus of new and peculiar
construction, for the purpose of amalgamating with quicksilver the
gold and silver in such minerals or carthy substances as contain gold
and silver, in order that the gold or silver in conjunction with the
quicksilver may, by any of the processes now in use, be separated froni
the other constituent parts of such said minerals or carthy substances,
and also for the purpose of afterwards separating the gold and silver
from the quicksilver employed in the process of amalgamation. And the
principal features in my said Invention consist in performing the before-
mentioned process of amalgamation in vacuo, that is to say, by exhaust-
ing the air from the vessels in which the materials to be operated upon

page_text: are piaced, whatever may be the shape of said vessels, or the materials
of which they are made, provided the saine are suitable for the purpose;
and in performing the process of separation by means of a vacuum
beneath the mixed gold or silver and quicksilver, into which the quick-
silver is to be filtered through leather, also, whatever may be the shape 5
of such vessels, or the materials of which they are made, provided the
same are suitable for the purpose. And although in this my Specifica-
tion, I have described and represented apparatus which I have found
well calculated for effecting the objects of muy said Invention, I do not
intend to limit or confine myself to the precise details thereof, as the 1
same may be varied, without departing from the principle of my said
Invention, and have only given them as examples of the means by
which my Invention may be carried into practical effect.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible,
I now proceed to describe the construction and arrangement of the 1
above-mentioned apparatus, reference being had to the illustrative
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thercon, respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1, Figure 1 exhibits a transverse and vertical section of an 2
apparatus constructed according to my said Invention, and in which the
process of amalgamation may be performed. Figure 2, is a sectional
plan view of the apparatus on the line A, B, at Figure 1. Sheet 2,
exhibits a transverse and. vertical section of an apparatus constructed
according to my said Invention, and in which the process of separation
may be performed. At each of the Figures of these Slicets of Drawings,
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.
And as regards the construction and arrangement of the amalga-
mating apparatus exhibited at Sheet 1, it is as follows:-A, A, marks
a cylindrical shaped vessel or receptacle, formed of a material which
has no chemical affinity for quicksilver. The upper part of this vessel is
turned in a lathe, or otherwise formed true, and such part is fitted with

page_text: a piston B, which is packed with leather at a, a, and works air-tight in
the vessel A. And I construct, arrange, and actuate such said piston,
and other parts connected thereto and therewith, in the following
manner and by the following means, that is to say :-I form a hole
through the centre of the piston, through which passes a rod C, same
working air-tight in said hole, by means of a stuffing box at D; and to
the lower end of the rod C, I securely fix a plate of metal E, which is
perforated with innumerable small holes, said plate fitting casily within
the vessel A. And I impart vertical movement to the plate E, by means
of a lever handle F. fixed upon the upper end of the rod C, and by
forming a thread or screw around the said rod, and passing such part
through a screwed hole formed in the upper part of the standard G, to
which the vessel A, is connected by pivots H, IT, fixed to or formed upon
said vessel. And I impart vertical movement to the piston B, indepen-
dently of the plate E, by means of a long collar I, the upper part
whereof has a thread or screw formed therein corresponding to a
Screw formed about the rod C, as exhibited. The lower part of the collar
I, is formed with a flange i, over which fits a screw cap K, for connect-
ing said collar to the piston; and I fix to, or form thereon, handles L, L,
for imparting vertical motion to the collar I, and piston B; and I con-
nect a cock M, to the piston B, for establishing a communication
between the upper and under sides of said piston, for the purpose hercin-
after stated. N, marks a pipe perforated with innumerable small holes,
which are covered with fine linen or other suitable material, to prevent
said holes from being choked with the material which is being operated
upon. The upper end of the pipe N, is closed, and the lower end thereof
is connected to the bottom of the vessel A, by a flange, or in any other
convenient manner; and there is a bent pipe O, connected by one end
to the pipe N, and by the other end to a hole in the pivot H, which is
to be put in connection with an air pump or other suitable exhausting
apparatus.
The mode of working this apparatus is as follows:-The minerals or
earthy substances, after being crushed or pulverized, which may be
eflected by any of the means in known and common use for that pur-
pose, are then placed within the vessel A, (the piston and plate E.

page_text: being removed for that purpose,) and having charged the vessel A, suf-
ficiently, the plate E, and piston B, are then inserted into the vessel
A, and the plate E is forcibly pressed upon the surface of the material
by the handles F, and rod C; after which the cock M, is shut off, and
quicksilver poured into the upper part of the vessel A, by which the
piston will be rendered more completely air-tight; and having done this,
the cock P, in the pipe O, is opened, and the air exhausted from the
inside of the vessel A, through the perforations in the pipe N. The
cock M, is then opened, by which the quicksilver will enter into the
space between the surface of the plate E, and the under side of the
piston, and entering the perforations of the plate E, will pass through
the same, and into and amongst the crushed or pulverized minerals and
earthy substances; and when it reaches the cock P, that cock is shut;
and, if necessary to ensure more perfect admixture and analgamation
of the quicksilver, the same may be effected by shutting the cock M,
and imparting motion to the handles L, so as to cause the piston B, to
be forcibly pressed upon the surface of the quicksilver. The effect of
this process will be to amalgamate the gold and silver contained in
minerals or earthy substances after they have been crushed or pulver-
ized; and this constitutes the first part of the process of treating certain
Ores and Minerals for the purpose of obtaining products therefrom.
And as regards the second part of the process, videlicet, the separating
of the gold and silver from the quicksilver employed in the lastly above-
described process of amalgamation, (after the gold or silver in con-
junction with the quicksilver have been separated by any process in
use for that purpose from the earthy or other refuse,) I employ for such
purpose an apparatus of the construction exhibited at Sheet 2, as
follows: A, marks a vessel or receptacle formed of any material which
has no chemical affinity for quicksilver; said vessel is formed with an
air-tight chamber B, which is in connection with an air pump or other
suitable exhausting apparatus. The chamber B, is separated or divided
from the upper part of the vessel A, by a plate of metal perforated with
innumerable small holes, over which a piece of doeskin leather is placed
and securely held by a ring C, screwed to the said plate.
Mode of working:-The quicksilver, combined with the amalga-

page_text: mated precious metal, being placed in the upper part of the vessel A,
the air is exhausted from the chamber B, by which the quicksilver will
be forced, by the external atmospheric pressure, through the pores of the
doeskin; and in this manner, and by these means, the quicksilver will
be separated from the gold and silver, and, if necessary, mechanical
pressure may be applied above the surface of the quicksilver by a piston
in the upper part of the vessel A.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, I desire it to be dis-
tinctly understood that I do not claim the exclusive use of any of the
separate parts, ingredients, or matters above mentioned and referred to,
except in so far as the same may be employed in combination, and for
the purposes of my said Invention; which I hereby declare to consist
in, and I claim as my Invention of Improvements in treating certain
Ores and Minerals for the purpose of obtaining products therefrom,
the use and employment of the apparatus exhibited at Sheets 1, and 2,
of the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the exhausting of the air from
the vessel holding the ores and minerals in the process of amalga-
mation, and the exhausting of the air from beneath the quicksilver in
the process of separation; or, in other words, the performing of such
process of amalgamation in vacuo, and such process of separation by
the aid of a vacuuni.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Cornides, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
year of
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
LOUIS CORNIDES. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.