US1074410A - Amalgamator. - Google Patents

Description

L. O. GROOKER.

AMALGAMATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5 -1913.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

IN VE IV TOR 409 04/{55 A TTOR/VEYS LLOYD OSCAR cnocxnn, or BEATRICE, NEBIRASKA.

AMALeAMA'roit.

Specification of Letters iat'ent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed April 5, 1913. Serial No. 759,100.

the kind operated by centrifugal force and adapted for general use, but especially applicable for the separation of gold from crushed ores and sand when fed through the machine with water. In this connection I will call attention to one or two facts, not generally known, relative to the use of centrifugal amalgamators. With such machines as generally constructed, various difficulties arise in practice. One of these difliculties is that 'the sand or crushed 'ore in passing through the machine tends to displace the amalgamating material employed and causes the latter to waste, this defect being known in some regions as flouring. I have noticed that the waste of the amalgamating material in the relation just stated is generally due to the fact that the ore and water, acting under centrifugal force, are thrown against a body of amalgamating material, say, mercury or liquid amalgam, in such manner that the centrifugal pressure of the. ore and water tends to displace portions of theamalgam,

. causing the -latter to flow out of the receptacle containing it. There is quite a tendency for the ore, generally in the form of sand, while under the influence of centrifugal force, to burrow under the lower edge of the amalgamating material, and as other portions of the ore crowd on to a portion engaging the amalgamating material, some of the sand is forced back under the amalgamating material and against the wall of the receptacle containing the latter, thus crowding out the amalgamating material.

I avoid the difficulties above enumerated by using a revoluble rim provided with a compartment of peculiar form, the rim being carried by a revoluble table which extends into the compartment in such manner as to preventjthe overflow of the amalgamating material carried within said compartment.

-My device is so arranged that the ore under centrifugal force is' discharged against a predetermined upper portion of the amalgamating material, under such condltionsas to force the amalgamatmg material back into the compartment rather than cause it to overflow from the compartment.

In my device the ore or other material to be passed through the machine is so discharged as to obstruct the free egress of the amalgamating material from the compartment holding it.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical section through my amalgamator complete. Fig. 2 is a detail showing in cross section, the rim and amalgamating material carried thereby as these parts appear while the machine is in action.

I provide a frame 4 and place within its upper end a hopper 5. Below this hopper are other hoppers 6, 7, of a larger size, each extendingpractically the entire width of the frame and being secured to said frame.

Below the hopper 7 is a hopper 8, which is provided with a discharge chute 9. A revoluble shaft 10 is mounted in bearings 11, 12, and extends from top to bottom of the frame. A pulley 13 is mounted rigidly upon the shaft 10 and is engaged by a belt 14 whereby it is turned in order to cause the shaft to rotate.

A number of tables 15 are provided, each table having a hub portion 16 encircling the shaft, and secured rigidly thereto by a set screw 17.

The hopper 5 is supported from the top of the frame to which it is secured, by fastenings 18. Each of the hoppers 5, 6, 7, 8, encircles the shaft 10.

Each rim 19 having a general annular form, is provided with a flange 19?, the latter being secured by bolts 20 to'the outer edge of the table 15. Each rim 19 is provided with a compartment 21 into which extends the outer edge 22 of the particular table 15 associated with the rim. Each rim 15 is so secured to the rim as to close that 110 portion of the compartment 21 below the table, while leaving open the portion of the compartment-above said table. A quantity of amalgamating material may be free mercury,'but I prefer to use amalgam, or mercury and metallic sodium made to proper consistency for the purpose.

The parts are so formed, proportioned and arranged that when the amalgamating material is placed in the compartments 21, and the tables 15 are turned rapidly, the amalga matingmaterial, under the influence of centrifugal force, assumes such form that its inner surface becomes cylindrical, as indicated in Fig. 1. Then when the sand, admixed with water, is fed upon the tables and thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, the sand is forced. into engagement with the upper or exposed portion only of the amalgamating material. The pressure due to centrifugal act-ion ofthe sand against the amalgamating materialtends to force the amalgamating material into thelower portion of. each compartment 21, and as the volume and pressure of the sand accumulates, there is a constant creeping of the sand upwardly and over the flange 28. The Water also escapes in the same manner, the sand and water being thrown against the adjacenthopper.

In consequence of the action just described, the amalgamating material 24 assumes the form indicated in Fig. 2, the

. upper portion of the amalgamating material being forced slightly outward so as to .,increase the thickness of the portion of the material located below the table. The greater the pressure of the ore againstthe upper exposed surface of the amalgamating material, the greater becomes the tendency of the amalgamating material to crowd into the lower port-ion of the compartment as indicated in Fig. 2.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, the tendency of my device is to prevent waste of the amalgamating material while at the same time attaining comparatively thorough cleaning of the precious metal from the ore. Since the ore sand is thrown directly into engagement with the surface of the amalgamating material, and

is caused by pressure of additional sand to creep upwardly and pass overthe flange 23, the sand is brought thoroughly into contact with the amalgamating material, and is then disengaged from the amalgamating material without any tendency to force the amalgamating material out of the compartment. Each grain of sandhas a tendency to travel outwardly until stopped by the exposed surface of the amalgamating material and thence to turn upwardly and pass over the flange 23. As far as practicable therefore, each grain of sand is brought into contact with the amalgamating material, and then thrown out, the amalgamating material being at the same time thoroughly circulated within a portion of the compartment there being little or no chances for the amalgamating material to make its escape.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made therein without departing from thespirit of my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Iclaimzv 1. An amalgamator comprising a rim provided with an annular compartment having a cross section bounded by an involute curve, a revoluble table carrying said rim and extending into said compartment, said revoluble table being in the form of a plane substantially tangential to a portion of greatest curvature of said wall, means for turning said rim and said table, and mechanism for discharging ore and water upon said table. 2. A device of the character described comprising a rim provided with an annular compartment, a table extending into said compartment and secured to one edge of said rim so as to close a portion of said compartment upon one side of said table and to leave open a portion of said compartment upon the opposite side of said table, means for turning said table and said rim, and mechanism for feeding ore upon said table.

Witnesses H. D. HoHNBEcK, GUY Lmmoor'r.

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