US247238A - Quicksilver-feeder - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. G. DU BOIS.

QUIGKSILVER FEEDER. No. 247,238. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

.P. 0. DH BOIS. QUIUKSILVER FEEDER. No. 247,238. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

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UNITED STATES [PATENT OFFIcE.

PIERRE G. DU. BOIS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, OALlFORNIA.

QUICKSILVER-FEEDER- SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,238, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed April 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE C. DU 1301s, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a Quicksilver- Feeder; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a device for feeding quicksilver to the mortars of ore stamp-mills; and it consists in projecting from a cup a stated quantity of quicksilver into the mortars at stated times, said cup being operated by appropriate machinery driven from the cam-sh aft of the battery, whereby itis made to descend into a vat of quicksilver, and then to ascend filled with the metal, and to cast it forth into apipe connected with the mortars, the whole operation being done regularly at stated periods, said periods being capable of extension within certain limits.

In the process of working gold ore with stamp-mills, it is usual to introduce mercury into the mortars with the ore for the purpose of amalgamating the gold. This it is customary to do by hand, the operator at stated periods introducing the mercury with a spoon or other vessel. These periods are, for the sake of convenience, necessarily some time apartas, for instance, every quarter or half hour.- To make them any shorter would entail an amount of attention and labor not justified-under the circumstances. Added to that is the irregularity of a process which depends upon direct manual intervention. The consequence is that the quicksilver is either not introduced,

through neglect, or is put in very irregularly.

This is a disadvantage, for in this class of work the presence of mercury is necessary for the saving of the gold, and if not put in much gold is lost, or when put in irregularly, either in quantity or time, some of the gold escapes.

The object of my invention is to provide -means by which the quicksilver may be introduced in stated quantities and at stated times by the operation of automatic mechanism, and by the use of which the introduction may be accomplished at much shorter intervals, thus keeping up a practically-continuous supply of mercury, which will thus operate within the mortars upon all the ore. Referring, now, to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my de vice. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig.3 is a side view with a portion of the tank broken away. Fig. 4 is a top view.

Let A represent a base having secured to or formed with it a tank or reservoir, B, of appropriate metal to resist the action of the quicksilver, and of capacity suificient to hold a considerable quantity of mercury. It is closed on top, except at its forward end, to allow the cup mechanism to descend within it.

C is a vertical guide-post secured within the tank, and D a slide upon the post, having pivoted to its rear the pitman E. To its front end is journaled the bent arm 1?, one end of which has attached to it the cup G, and the other end is bifurcated, fitting and sliding on the curved guide-plate H, secured within the tank A.

A projecting pin or lug, a, is in the vertical guide-post near its top, and defines the limit of the upward play of the slide D. WVhen the pitman E is depressed the slide D descends, carrying with it the cup G, which, being journaled, as shown, follows the curve of the guideplate H, and when down in the tank the cup will be right side up. When the pitman is raised the cup will ascend, and, following the curve of the plate H, near its top, will be caused to incline forward and project over the edge of the tank, being then about or nearly half turned. If the slide D has a rapid ascent, it will strike forcibly against the lug a and communicate a sudden jar to the cup, which will throw out any contents it may have.

The mechanism to produce that which I have just explained is as follows:

I is a vertical longitudinal support, having at its rear end a perforated bearing, J, in which is journaled the operating crank or lever K, by means ofa shaft, L, extending through said hub and support. The forward end of the lever K is pivoted to the pitman E. The shaft L- has keyed to it a pinion, M, which engages with a vertical rack-bar, N, sliding-Tupfand down in and supported by appropriate guides, 11, attached to the longitudinal support I. The top of the rack-bar N is provided with a weight, 0, and has attached to it below the weight an arm,P, having a projecting pin or lug, 0. Thus,

if a lifting force be. applied under the pin a, the vertical rack-bar N will be raised and will turn the pinion M and depress the lever K, forcing the cup G down in the tank A. Such a force is necessary to cause the cup to descend into the heavy mercury. When the force is taken away the weight on the rack-bar N will cause said bar to fall, and thus suddenly raise the cup G. It is obvious that instead of a weight I could use a spring to cause the rackbar N to suddenly descend. This lifting force I obtain as follows:

Q is a vertical standard, in which one end of the perforated shaft or hub B is journaled. The shaft L of the lever K extends through the perforated hub R, and is also journaled in the standard Q. The hub R is thus journaled upon the shaft L, and has a motion independent of it. The hub R carries the ratchet-wheel S, provided with a number of teeth, and also carries the cam T between the ratchet wheel S and the pinion M, and operating under the in 0 so as to im in e thereon in its revolu-- p 7 tion. Behind the ratchet-wheel is the retaining-pawl U, as shown. Under the ratchetwheel S is the sliding bar V, having the operating-pawl W, engaging with the said ratchetwheel.

X is a stop upon the sliding bar V, and Y is the operating-pitman loosely fitting through the stop X, and secured therein by a head, as shown, and having a stop, Z, screwed to it in front of said stop X. When the pitman Y is pressed forward it pushes forward the sliding bar V, and causes its operating-pawl W to engage with and turn the ratchet-wheel S, and to revolve the cam T, which, impinging upon the pin a, raises the rack-bar N and forces the cup G down into the mercury. When the cam reaches a certain point it releases the pin and allows the rack-bar to fall and suddenly elevate the cup with its contents.

This device I will place in any convenient position upon the battery, and will transmit power to its operating-pitman from the camshaft of the battery, thus connecting it directly with the working of the stamps. The cupwill discharge its contents into a pipe leading to the mortars, and as I can lead this pipe from any point,I am enabled to place the device in the most convenient position. 1 can weigh out the required amountof mercury to last through the day, and place it in the tank B and lock it up. It will require no further attention. I can so attach the cup G to the bent arm 1 as by screwing, that it may be readily removed for the substitution of another of different capacity.

V Itis necessary in the operation of the device for the purpose herein considered to regulate the times of discharge of the cup, in order to increase or decrease the quantity of mercury fed to the mortars. This is done by means of the movable stop Z, which, by being screwed upon the pitman Y at different distances, regulates the stroke of the sliding bar V. By placing it toward the end of the pitman a longer stroke is effected, and the operating-pawl Wis made to engage with the teeth of the ratchetwheel at widerdistances. Thus it maybe made to engage with every second tooth, or every third or fourth tooth, and increase the velocity of revolution of the said wheel, and, consequently, to shorten the intervals between the periods of discharge of the cup, and increase the feed of the quicksilver. By adjusting the stop Z farther back upon the pitman the stroke isshortened and the pawl W made to engage with every tooth of the ratchet-wheel. This adjustability of the stroke is necessarily bounded by certain limits. To go beyond them I have but to change the size of the ratchet-wheel and the number of teeth thereon. This change will depend upon the circumstances of the object in view. I may find that the particular ore being worked requires the introduction of mercury at intervals of five minutes. If my cam-shaft run forty revolutions a minute, I can provide my ratchet-wheel with two hundred teeth and adj ust'thc stroke of the sliding bar to cause the pawl to engage every tooth, and thus feed the mercury every five minutes. By adjusting the stroke to engage every second tooth I can feed the mercury every two minutes and a half, and so on; Thus by setting reasonable limits in each particular case the feed of quicksilver can be adjusted within said limits. Once adjusted, the operation is regular and accomplishes all the objects of the invention.

While I have thus far confined myself to a description of the invention as applied to feeding quicksilver to the mortars of ore-batteries, it is obvious the principle of a regular intermittent feed, as herein set forth, may be applicable to other uses where the necessities of the case require such feed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improved apparatus for feeding quicksilver or other liquids from a reservoir or tank, consisting of a feeding-cup device arranged upon a slide, substantially as described, and having mechanism, substantially as shown, for imparting a reciprocating motion to the slide, for the purposes set forth.

2. The tank or reservoir B, in combination with the swinging cup or receptacle G, guided within said tank, and automatically depressed and elevated therein at regular periodic intervals by means of crank-rod mechanism, substantially as herein described.

3. The feeding mechanism consisting of the swinging cup or receptacle G, arranged to slide up and down within the reservoir B, in combination withthe actuating mechanism consisting of the pitman E, crank K, pinion M, Weighted vertical rack-bar N, and operatingcam T, constructed substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The combination,with the swinging cup or receptacle G,of the slide D, pitman E, crank IIO K, shaft L, pinion M, weighted vertical rackbar N, cam T, and the ratchet-wheel S, having,

tank containing the substance to be fed at intervals by means of an actuating-cam, T, whereby said cup is suddenly elevated and projected forward by means of the momentum of a weighted bar, N, behind the pivot-pointL, all in 20 combination substantially as herein described, or the equivalent of such means.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PIERRE G. DU BOIS.

Witnesses:

S. H. N OURSE, FRANK A. BROOKS.

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