US1060155A - Placer-machine. - Google Patents

Description

T. H. BELL & G. H. DENNISON. PLACER MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1911.

1 ,060,1 55, Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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T. H. BELL & G. H. DENNISON.

PLACER MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19, 1911.

1,060,155. nt d Apr.29,1913 .f

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T. BELL & G. H. DBNNISON.

' PLACER MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19; 1911.

1,060,155. Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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WTTED OTATES PATENT @FFTQE.

THOMAS H. BELL, OI CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND CALVIN H. DENNISON, OF BOISE, IDAHO, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL PLACER MA- CHINE COMPANY, or YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

PLACER-MACHIN E.

LOOOJLdE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, THOMAS H. BELL and CALVIN H. DENNISON, both citizens of the United States, andresidents of Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and State of Ohio, and of Boise, county of Ada, and State of Idaho, respectively, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Placer-Machines, Of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present machine, as indicated, is designed more especially for use in placer mining, where, in other words, the precious metal is abstracted from the ore by being passed over pockets or riiiles containing an amalgam. A considerable current of water is required to handle ore in this fashion, as will be obvious, and even Where the oldfashioned hand method of placer mining obtained, the lack of an adequate water supply has not infrequently been a serious obstacle. The present improvements have as their object the provision of mechanism which may be constructed on any desired scale, de pending upon the quantity of ore to be handled, and which will be characterized by an economical use of the water, so that, in other words, the same body of water may be used over and over with no depletion other than that occurring through evaporation or absorption in the materials discarded. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related objects, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. y

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of construction embodying our present improvements, portions of the machine being shown in section to more clearly illustrate the mode of operation; Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of such machine; Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing a broken section of a modified form of conof such modified voir, and screw struction; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion apparatus; and Fig. 5 illqstrates a modified construction of a detai Referring first of all to the preferred form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the two major features comprised in the apparatus will be seen to be an elongated downwardly inclined sluice-way 1 and a water reservoir 2, the latter being shown as located directly above such sluice-way and co-extensive therewith. As the walls of the sluice-way thus form in effect the bottom of the reservoir, the latter will be seen to be shallower at one end than the other, although this is not at all essential to the operation of the apparatus as will be obvious from the description presently to be given of the modified form of Figs. 3 and 4. Disposed adjacent to the upper end, or head, of the sluice-way is a feed hopper 3 supplied by a conveyor 4- or otherwise, as most convenient, and arranged to feed the ore into said sluice-way. The reservoir 2 is also arranged to overflow into the head of the sluice-way, a gate 5 being provided to regulate the rate of such overflow, or to shut it off, if desired. The water and ore thus admitteclinto the upper end of the sluice-way are carried therealong by the current which is induced by suitable means located at the lower end, or tail, of the sluice-way for returning the discharge therefrom to the corresponding end of the reservoir. The lower wall or floor of the sluice- Way is provided with riftles 6 or equivalent means for retaining the amalgam that is used to collect the particles of precious metal mingled with the ore, as will be readily understood. The means for returning the mixture of ore and water discharged from the lower end of the sluiceway to the reservoir may take on variousforms. As illustrated, a series of cylindrical casings or pipes 7 are arranged in a transverse row at the lower end of the sluice-way, such casings extending to near the upper level of the reserpropellers 8 or equivalent current producing devices being located in each one. The mixture of water and ore thus raised to the upper level of the reservoir is preferably caught on an apron or inclined plate 9 extending toward the center of the reservoir from its end wall, so that the heavier materials mixed with the water, may collect within reach of the buckets of a conveyer 10 which discharges the waste material from the apparatus. A screen p artition 11, is furthermore disposed transversely of the reservoir at a point intermediately between its ends, so that the water which finally returns to the farther end of the reservoir, there to enter the sluice-way 1 again, is substantially free from sediment. The driving mechanism, as shown, comprises a power-shaft 12 connected by means of belts 13 with the conveyer 4t and the feed mechanism of hopper 3; and by means of a longitudinally disposed shaft let with the discharge conveyer 10 and the gearing 15 for driving the screw propellers in the casings at the lower end of the sluice-way.

The general mode of operation of the foregoing described mechanism should be readily apparent, as also the economy in the use of water thereby secured, for it will be obvious that the same water is utilized over and over again. At the same time, the operation is a continuous one, being only interrupted when it is necessary to remove the material collected in the riiiles of the sluice-way.

In the modified form of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in place of one elongated sluice-way 1, the amalgamating chamber is in the form of an annular conduit provided between the cylindrical walls and bottomsof two drums 16 and 17, one within the other. The inner drum 17 is closed at its lower end, save for a central opening connected with a discharge pipe 18, in which are located screw propellers 19, or other means similar to those in the casings 7 of the first described apparatus. The material is introduced into the space between the walls of the two drums from a feed hopper 20 and upon reaching the bottom of the chamber, collects toward the center, passing incidentally across suitable riffles 21 that have the same function as those in the sluice-way 1. A suflicientsuction is created within the discharge tube 18 to withdraw the material thus collecting, and to discharge the same in the farther end of a water reservoir 22, which is here located laterally adjacent to, instead of above the amalgamating chamber. A conveyer 23, as before, is provided to remove the heavier materials that here collect, and a screen partition 24 also divides the reservoir, so that the water which overflows therefrom at the end nearest the tank 16 is practically free from sediment. The general operation is here the same as before, and need not be additionally described. The inner drum 17 is preferably made vertically adjustable by means of set bolts 25 provided with handwheels for convenience of operation. By such adjustment the size of the amalgamating chamber, or at least of the effective portion thereof lying between the bottom of the two drums, can be varied to suit conditions.

It has been indicated that other means than screw propellers may be utilized to maintain the desired circulation through the apparatus. Thus in Fig. 5, we show a construction in which the entire casing 26 (corresponding to the casings 7 of Figs. 1 and 2) is arranged to rotate about its center as an axis; a spiral 27 within said casing acting as propelling means in a readily understandable fashion. The apparatus, moreover, in either of the two forms illustrated, is not necessarily limited to use for placer mining, but may be otherwise employed with satisfactory results, where it is desired to use over and over again either a body of water or some solution wherewith the ore requires to be treated. Thus it is contemplated that our machine may be advantageously employed in cyaniding ores, where the cyanid solution is required to be brought into intimate contact with the ore and of course must not be wasted.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalents of such stated means be employed.

It will be noted that in the present apparatus the relative sizes of the reservoir'and the sluice-way are such that the current in the former is only about one-tenth as rapid as in the latter. In fact, in the reservoir there is almost no current in the bottom of the deeper end where the waste material falls when brought into the reservoir by the action of the propellers. The propellers are designed to maintain a rate of flow in the sluice-way which will permit of the water carrying along the comparatively light quartz and other waste material but will not carry for any distance the heavier gold or silver, the former being approximately eight times as heavy as the waste, and the latter four times. It is therefore, a simple matter to maintain a current in the sluiceway which will be inadequate to carry along the precious metals which will fall to the bottom and be retained by the rifiles. The machine could, of course, be operated Without riiiies, in which case the metals would collect in the lower end of the sluice-way from which they could be removed at intervals. lVhile the rate of flow in the sluiceway is sufficient to carry along comparatively large sized pieces of waste material, it is so reduced in the reservoir at the deeper end that this material also precipitates and may be removed by the conveyer means provided for that purpose. It "will be seen,

therefore, that our machine is not only meritorious by reason of the small amount of Water required in its operation, but also on account of the novel and improved method used in first separating out the precious metal and then the Waste material. This two-fold result is accomplished by varying the speed of the current which is done by varying the relative sizes of the reservoir and conduit as will be evident.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention 1.'In a machine of the class described, the combination of an inclined conduit adapted to retain precious metals; a Water reservoir disposed above said conduit, the upper Wall of the conduit forming the bottom of said reservoir, the latter overflowing into said conduit; and means for maintaining a circulation through said conduit and reservoir.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an inclined, elongated, closed conduit adapted to retain precious metals; a Water reservoir disposed above said conduit, the upper Wall of the latter forming the bottom of said reservoir, the latter overflowing into said conduit at one end of the same; a second conduit connecting said reservoir With the other end of said inclined conduit; and means for maintaining a circulation through said conduits and reservoir.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an inclined conduit; riffles in said conduit for retaining precious metals; a Water reservoir disposed above said conduit; a second conduit vertically disposed connecting the upper end of said inclined conduit and one end of said reservoir; a third conduit also vertically disposed, connecting the lower end of said inclined conduit and the other end of said reservoir; and means mounted in said third conduit adapted to force Water through the same into said reservoir, causing the latter to overflow into said second conduit, and said inclined conduit and said reservoir being so proportioned that a rate of flow is maintained in the former suflicient to carry along Waste material but not precious metal, and in the latter insufficient to carry along Waste material, thereby permitting the same to precipitate in said reservoir; and conveyer means adapted to remove such precipitated Waste material.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an. inclined, elongated, closed conduit adapted to retain precious metals; a Water reservoir disposed above said conduit, the upper Wall of the latter forming the bottom of said reservoir, the latter overflowing into said conduit at one end of the same; a vertically disposed conduit c0nnecting said reservoir with the other end of said inclined conduit; and means mounted in said vertical conduit for maintaining a circulation through said conduit and reservoir.

Signed by us this 6th day of July 1911.

THOMAS H. BELL. CALVIN H. DENNISON.

Attested by H. MoGARvEY, JNo. F. OBERLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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