US1469008A - Amalgamator and separator - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25 1923. 1,469,008

c. MEYER ET AL AMALGAMATOR AND SEPARATOR Original Filed Jan. 26, 1921 2 sh t -s 1 Sept. 25 1923. 1,469,008

c.- MEYER ET L.

AMALGAMATOR 7 AND SEPARATOR Original Filed Jan. 2 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

- oHARLEs MEYER AND HENRYEB. MEADE,

AMALeAivIAroa AND snraaaroa. Y

Original application filed Jams-26,1 21, Serial To all whom it moyconcem:

Be it known that we, and HENRY B. M nion, citizens o'f the: United States, residing at Los Angeles,win the county of Los Angeles and State of Caliincludes base metals such asiron, hematite and the like. I p V The particular objects of our invention are to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing types of amalgamators and particularly those"- designed for the-liandlingof placer material; "to pro vide a construction wherein an apparatus; of given size has a relatively large material handling capacity, and at the same time is economical in operation; to. provide. relatively simple and novel means for insuring the separation and-collection of the relatively finer or-niicroscopicparticles of precious metals; and further, to provide in an-a-malgamating apparatus; relatively simple and efiicient means for removing particles-of iron, hematite, and the like, usually in the form of black sand, from a recovering or amalgamating agent, such as mercury or the like.

Our present application is'a division of our copending application filed January 26, 1921, Serial No. 440,186, 1 and shou-ldbe read and considered in connection therewith.

\Vith the foregoing and other "objects-in view, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts that will'be hereinafter 1nore fully described and claimed, and-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which V Figure 1 is a'diagrammatic view ofiour improved amalgamator and separator, with parts thereof in side elevation and invertical section; t

Fig. 2 is a plan end portion of the form of apparatus'that is illustrated; in. Fig." 1 and showing-the Crmminsf MEYER View of the right? hind ,7 ounce ANGEL'ES; oAIiIFoRNIA, assrerivons; T0 FRANK A GiLnEsPIE, or LOS AN ELES; CALIFORNIA.

No. 440,186.. Divided a ndq this app1-icationqfiled iJune ;2,192 1-.;. Serial nuance. i

means for automatically the sandfrom the tailings or waste-material Fig.- 3 is an enlarged cross sectiontakenzi approximately on the line' dfFig -Qi approximately on the, line 4-1101 Fig Q. Fig; 5, is-an enlarged cross section taken on theline- 5-5 of Fig, 3.

Fig; .4 is an enlarged vertical sectionltaken- :Referring'by numerals to the, accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical embodiment of our. invention, 110.designates a mixing box or launder which g receives the material to be acted upon through a] chute 11' and ater through: a supply; pipe 12; Located withinrthe boxgor container 10,.are baffle plates 13, the-:"lower edges of; which. are spacedapart from,'-the bottom' of said tom ofthe box adjacent to', the end in which charge pipe 15, and leading into the box or '70" box, andthe upper edges being connected by a screen .14. Depending from the botlaunder above ;this5 discl;1arge pipe: is a nas cent or regenerated mercury supply pipe Y 16.- This mercu-ry supplypipe leads frorn' a mercuryregenerating apparatus that,'in-

cludes a tank. or'co-ntainer 17 in jwhich is a-rranged a cathode p-latei'18 and anganode plate 19,-said plates being electrie-a-lly con-" nected to. a suitable sourceof currentsupply,v

such} asa" generator 205 Locatedfiadjac'ent to the mercuryregenerating-flankor c0ntaine'r 17, is I a sodium solii-i tion tank: 21 in which is arranged forroper'ati'on a pump-22,-

preferably of the rotary" type i and having a of 'the regenerating tank-"17- above the plates discharge pipe QB-that-leadsinto. one side therein; Lead-ingfrom the opposite sideof tank 17 *is an: overflow o-r-out-let pipes-2- ithat extends to the u'ppeimendof: an' inclined straining t-arik OI" I"CQ13liE1-'Cl' 9= 25; and. lead-ing from aclra'mbenbelow thestrainer therein.

is an-outlet pipe 26 that discharges-.d:irectly 1 into an intake pipe QiY-and Which-latter leads ,tothe lower" portion a of; solution tank 2 1.

Leading. from the WZlStGxCliilHlbQI off-the straining ta nk'r25' is a waste dischargepjpipe 2/8. Extending from the" l0wer-end cofi-a pocket or recepta le 29 that islocatediadj'acent to the discharge end' offas' mercury. elevator 30 of the regenerating tank .17 "and at a point abovetlre-p'lates therein is .a: mercury conveying tube 31.6 'The: lower" ios . boot or pocket that end of the mercury elevator 30 which is of the type com ri ing an endless conveyor on which is air-rang :l buckets, operates in a located adjacent to the trough through which the pulp orslimes es, and leading to said-boottrom a metalee mercury rereptacle 33 is a mercury con e a a ying tube 34.

All of the parts ust mentioned are dcscribed in detail in our co-pending patent I application above referred to and while said parts are essential to the successful operationot our improved apparatus we do" not in this application make specific claims to said parts. 7

plate 33 from which depends a series of curved baflie or retarding plates 39, and

which latter are preferably formed of copper. 4

Plate 38 is adjustably suspended from a frame '40 in order that it may be swung longitudinally in both directions so as to position the lower ends (of the curved baffle plates 39 at difierent distances away from the ends of the rittles.

Plate 38 may be provided with any suitable means for swinging it, lengthwise and for locking it after. proper adjustment and in Fig. 1 we have shown an adjustinnr'and locking means that includes a handle 41 that is pivot-ally connected to said plate and said handle carrying a transverse pin 42 that is adapted to be engaged in one of series of notches 42' that are formed ir a fixed part of trame40. v

Arranged in the bottom of trouo'h short distancebelow'the lower end of the series of rittles is series of transversely disposed channel-shaped -members '43, the pockets 44 of which are" adapted to receive the amalgam or metal carrying mercury as the same flows downwardly over the inclined bottom of said trough 35. and the bottom ot each pocket 44 is inclined lengthwise so that said amalgam or mercury will by gravity gradually flow toward. the lower end of said pocket. Metal plates 45. preferably copper areapnlied to the upper face of the bottom :ofthe trough-35 between; the channel-shaped members 43 and said plates are arranged so that their lower edges overlie the upper side walls-ct said members 43, while on the'opposite or lower sides of the channelshaped member's 'the edges of said'iplates 45 Y are spaced apart from said members 43, as desig-' members are aranged in direct alinement with each other on opposite sides of the me dial line of the trough so that the'amalg'am will flow from the center in opposte dircctions toward both sides of the trough.

Blocks 48 (Fig. 1) are arranged at the ends of the channels 43 where the pockets 44 are of'the greatest depth.

Transversely arranged in the bottom of trough 35 between the lower one of the channel-shaped members 43 and the lower end of said trough is a series of transversely dis posed shallow troughs 63 and the ends thereof on one side of said trough 35 communicate with a longitudinally disposed trough 64 that is positioneddirectly against the side wall of said trough 35. Arranged for operation in the upper porscrew conveyor 65 and on the side of trough 35 opposite the'side to which trough '64 is applied the ends of these screw conveyors are-provided with sprocket wheels 66,over

which travels a sprocket chain 67. Thissprocket chain is driven from a sprocket wheel 68 that is fixed on the end of a shaft 69 and the later being journaled in suitable bearings on the trough 35 and carr ."ing larger sprocket wheel 70.

Journaled in suitable bearings in the upper portionof the side walls of trough 35 is a shaft 71 on which is mounted a drum 72, from the periphery of which projects vanes for blames 73 that are adapted to be engaged by the pulp-as it flows through the lower portion 0t trough 35. Fixed on shaft 7 t-ion ofeach trough 63 is a relatively small 71'is a sprocket wheel 74 and connecting the latter with sprocket wheel 70 is a sprocket chain"75.-

' By virtue of this construction the pulp flowing through the lower portion of-trougzh 35 rotates 'CliIBTfl 72 and the motion thereof willbe transmitted through the drivingcoxr nections just described to shaft 69 and trom' thence through sprocket chain 67 to'all of the sprocket wheels 66, and as a result all of the screw conveyors 65 will be simultaneous- 1y rotated; p v V Shaft 69 extends through troughs-35 and .64 and mounted upon said'shaft within the sprocket wheels 78. carries plates 79 that are'adapted to scrape one end thereof, (see Fig.4): 1

mator isas follows:

riilles 36 therein.

trough 64e islasprocket wheel 76, around over the bottom of trough 64 and carry any material, that may be delivered thereinto to The operationot our improved ,amalga- The metal bearingmaterial in i pulverized Zform is delivered into tank or. launder 10,

and after beingmixed with .waterthat enters through "pipe 12, saidqmaterial' ii -pulp Iform discharges through pipe and flows downwardly through trough over the As; -th1soperation takes place nascent or-regenerated mercury dis charges from pipe 16- and passes downwardly with the pulp into the tank-or launder '35. As the pulp flows over the step 'riflies,

thefmercu-ry and heavy material intermin gled with saidpulpgw ll 'by gravity pass downward onto the amalgam plates coveringsaid step1rittles, and thelighter portion jofsaid pulp, orthat portion at andznear the top of the volume flowing overtheriflies, will be engaged 'bv'theslower portions of the curved bafile-plates39 and thus turnediover, so that: any relatively'fine particles of metal that are carried in suspension in the lighter DOItlOIlOf the-pulp w ll, at some time during itsrpassage downwardly over the step r-ri tfies, be brought into contact with one of pthebafiie plates thereby v amalgamating with the mercury thereupon. I v

Inasmuch as the baflie plates 39 and the surtacesot' t-h'e plateseon the rifiies are 'coated with mercury, practically all the particles of material in the pulp will be brought into contact with a mercury coated "surface while'passing over said rifiies and beneath the curved plates, with the result that the mercury on saidplates will amalgamate with oritake up the tree particles'of metal. This metal-containing mercury,

after leaving the riftles, "flows downwardly over the metal-covered"bottomo't the trough or launder and fi nally passes into the pockets it inthe transverse channel-shaped mem bers 43, and said mercury, by gravity, flows towards the lower ends of said pockets and into the pockets of the blocks 48. The mercury bearing the heavier metals, will, by gravity, separate from the mercury bearing the lighter metals and from themetal-free mercury in passing through the pockets of the blocks 48, and for a more complete description of this separating operation and the subsequent handling of the metal-tree mercury and the regeneration thereof, reference may be had to our above mentioned co-pending application.

After passing over the series of pockets 44ithe=pulp containing the :so-called black i sands passes over the "channel-shaped mem bers 63 inwhich are arranged the-screw conveyors 65, Each member 63 contains a body of mercury below the serew conveyor, which mercury performs the "functions of a mobile cushion for the material such as black sand that centers i' the pocket occupied; byothe con- V j veyor, and asthe' conveyorii's: rotated the Inia- 7 t'erial1-within the pocket 7 and fw'hich" lies {on top of the body ofmercury;thereinqivillbe Jinoved. 'iengthwise; through; the: eliannelshaped jmemberyand' finally "dischargedint'o wtrough 64.- J

" 1 11? will be understood screw-f conveyor 65*wil1 be simultaneously rotated by :the: 'drivingficonnect-ions from :wheel or drum? 72', i the plates of which' 5 are. engaged eby th'e pulp flowing through'the lowerportion *ofiptrough ,35,- -and simultaneously the scraper-carrying chain '77 operating in said trough will be operated to scrape all'ma-- -terial thatis discharged into said't-rough toward one end of "the 'latter, and from eated receptacle. 1 rThuszit will be seen-that'w eihaveprovided 'a relatively simple and efficient apparatus for-the very rapidf and economicalha'ndling ot-placer material toefiect the'separation of all metallic values 4 therefromand; also for removing from said placer material all low grade-metals, such as iron, hematite andthe whencefit mav discharge into a suitably 10- like, whichusua'lly take-the'form of the so-- called black'sand. j a r ObVlOuSlY, minor changes m the size, form and construction of "the various parts of our improved amalgamator and separator may be made and substituted for those'herein shown and described -w1'thout departing from'thespirit of our invention, thescope of Weclaim as our invention eras which isset forth in; the appended unma- 1. In ian amalgamator, a-trough through 51'10 to pass, a-series of mercury pockets in the bottom of said trough, screw conveyors ar- 1 which the material to be treated is adapted ranged forxoper-ation in the trough for re- -moving the materialthat collects within the pockets, a receptacle adapted to: receive the mat'erial, removed from the mercury pockets by the conveyors therein, and means for removing the material from said receptacle.

2. An amalgamator comprising a trough through which metal bearing ,material is adapted to pass, said trough being provided with a mercury containing pocket, a receptaele adjacent the trough, a spiral conveyor to flow, there being a series of transversely disposed pockets formed in "the bottom of said trough, which pockets'are adapted to contain mercury, a receptacle onthe side of the trough, the chamber within which receptacle communicates with the pockets in the bottom ofthe trough, and spiral conveyers arranged for operation within said pockets and adapted to move material that may collect in said'pocketson top of the mercury therein into the receptacle on the side of the trough.

which the metal bearing material is -adapted to flow, there being a series of transversely disposed pockets formed in the-bottom of said trough, which pockets areadapted to contain mercury, a receptacleon the side of the trough, the chamber within which receptacle communicates with the pockets. in the bottom of the trough, and means actuated by the flow of material through the trough for moving material that may collect in the mercury pockets into the receptacle at the side of the trough.

5, In an amalgamator, a trough through which the metal bearing material is adapted to flow, there being a series of transversely disposed pockets formed in the bottom of said trough. which pockets are adapted to contain mercury. a receptacle on the side of the trough. the chamber within which recepztacle communicates with the pockets inthe bottom of the trough, spiral conveyers arranged for operation within said pockets and adapted to move material that may collect in said pockets on top of the mercury therein into the receptacle on' the side of the trough,

and means for effecting the discharge of material from said receptacle.

6. In an amalgamator, a trough through which the metal bearing mater al isadapted to flow. there being a series, of transversely disposed pockets termed in the bottom of said trough. which pockets are adapted to contain mercury. a receptacle on the side of the trough. the chamber within which receptacle communicates with the pockets in the bottom of the trough. means actuated by the flow of material through the trough for moving material that may collect in the mercury pockets into receptacle at the side of said spiral conveyer.

the trough, and means for efiecting the discharge of material from said receptacle.

7. In an amalgamator, a troughthrough which metal bearing material is adapted to pass, a transversely disposed pocket ar-.

v V material through the trough. for rotating 4. In an amalgamator, a trough through '8. In an amalgamator,a troughthrough which metal bearing material is adapted to pass, 'a transversely disposed pocket arranged in the bottom of said trough adapted to contain mercury, aspiral conveyer arranged for operation within said pocket above the surface of the bodyof mercury therein for removing material from said pocket, means actuated by the flow of material through the trough for rotating said spiral. conveyer, and means for collecting any material discharged from said pocket by said conveyer. j

9. An amalgamator comprising a trough through which metal bearing material is adapted to pass, said trough'being provided with a mercury containing pocket, at receptacle adjacent the trough, means for dis charging material accumulating on'the mercury into the receptacle, means actuated by the flow of material through the trough for operating the first means, andmeans actuated by the flow of material through the trough for effecting the discharge of material from said receptacle.

10. An amalgamator comprising a trough through which metal bearing material is adaptedto pass, said trough being provided with a pocket adapted to contain mercury, a receptacle at one end of and, at right angles to the trough, a convevor for discharging the material accumulating on the mercury into the receptacle. and means actuated by a the flow of material through the trough for operating the conveyor.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speci cation.

(FA S. MEYER. HENRY B; MEADE.

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