USRE4969E - Improvement in apparatus for recovering gold and silver from wasj - Google Patents

Description

Reissued July 9,1872.

i! IIIIII IlIIII ItIIII III J. SHAW. Improvement in Apparatus for Recovering Gain and Silver from waste Solutions. N0. 4,969,

if? 512 6 area UNITED V-STATES JEHYLEMAN SHAW, OF BRIDGE PA ENT/Osman;

Pour, CONNEQTlUUT.

IMPROVEMENT m APPARATUS FOR nrcovrnme colon-No SILVl-Zll mom wists SOLUTIONS.

Specification forming part Jr Letters Patent No. 35,842, dated July 8,1862 reissue No. 1,6;l,dhtqd April 5,

1864; reissue No. 3,506, dated June 15, 1869 reissue No. 4,030, dated June 14, IB'IOEigissue 4,969, dated July 9, 1872.

Division A;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEHYLEMAN SHAW, of

Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invcntedoertain new and n. {nl improvements in-apparatus adapted to carrying on a process for recovering the gold and silver from what are known as photographic waste solutions, and I do" hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

"tion intense, it was customary to allow the waste solutions of photographic establishments to run 011', with their contained precious metals, (the amount of which is very small in proportion to the quantity of waterin which they are held in solution,) from th'e'sinks or other vessels or receptacles over which the washing and other parts of the photographic -process are generally conducted.

'My invention relates to a novel apparatus, to be used either in connection with or in place of, the usual sink or basin, and adapted to carryouta process of precipitation by which all the gold and silver will be accumulated,

"whilethe water and other valueless substances are permitted to freely flow olf to waste or run out; and my invention consists in a vessel o constructed and provided with a receptacle for the precipitant, that while it will permit the solutions which are to be treated to flow through-it, the said solutions will be brought into, contact with theprecipitant as they enter or florainto the vessel," and the precipitated metals will be collected in the said vessel, as will be;-hereiuafter more; fully explained; and 1'ny.. invention further consists in the use, in combination with such vessel, of a partition or partitions extending 'down nearly to the bottom of the vessel, and so arranged as to prevent the passage of the precipitateimetals,

as the solution flows through the apparatus,

as will be hereinafter more, fully described;

and my invention further consists in the use,

in combination with sue h partitioned vessel, of ,a filter or collector, arranged and operating as hereinafter more'fully,explained,

To enable those skilled in the art to make I and use my invention I will 'prooeed to more fully describe it, referring-by lettersvto theaccompanying drawing in which-"-,-

Figure 1 is a vertical section,; a nd Fig. 2 a horizontal section,of my im rotted apparatus. Arepresentsavessel, ma edf metal, china, glass, or other suitable material, and, prpvided, as shown, with a partition, B, which extends from the top of vessel A down to. within a short distance of its bottom, dividing thesaid vessel into two compartments,. a and' b, which communicate at or near the bottom of A. In. the smaller of the two compartments (1. is ar-' ranged a bag, ,9, which contains the chemical, p "ingredients employed the precipitant, 1 while in the other larger compartment b is 7 located a filter or collector, D, arranged'near the top 5f the vessel, and provided with an exit-pipe, E, through which the solution isdischarged from the apparatus; This filter may be made of any suitable materials, and

in a variety of ways. 1 have represented it;- "inade in the form of a square box, and with a perforated or pervious bottom, over which is put a layer of sawdust; the latter being 00v ered'with cotton-batting, and the whole retained by a cloth stretched over the batting. The shape and construction of this filter may. however, be varied at the pleasure of the constructor or operator. adapted to. permit the passage of the solution through its bottom, and thence to the-e '37-- pipe E, the latter should be located near V 'e' top of the filter, and when it is desihgfljtii; have the solutionenter atthe top ofiit s fl l terf the, bottom should be closedgor impervio and the discharge-pipe E should be arrangfie beneath the stratums of filtering materials. Iii lieu of the sawdust and cotton alluded to, the" process of straining or filtration (to Where the filter 'is I 'any small particles of metal which flow upward toward the exit) may be conducted in a filter formed of other material.

I have shown the vessel A as of about a cylindrical or barrel-like shape, but its form my, of course, be changed at pleasure.

' in the use of my improved apparatus the ve sselA is to be placed so as to receive into its compartment 0 the solutions or washings from the sink, or from wherever the washing and wasting occur. ,As the waste solutions enter into a they are brought into continuous contact with the precipitant contained in the bag 0, and a chemical action is induced by which all the metal held in solution is precipitated, and, settling at the bottom of the vessel A, is periodically collected or removed therefrom. The solution which runs in at the top of compartment a fills both compartments ((1 and b) to the same level, of course, and finds an escape gradually and continually through the filterD and exit-pipe E; but since that portion of the body of the liquid from which the escape occurs (near the top of the is avoided. As the discharge of the Waste solution into the vessel will generally be intermittent, or at intervals, the current of flow through the apparatus may be retarded and made very slow by making the filter. so that it will not allow the solution to run through it as fast as it enters the apparatus. The particles of precipitation are induced to settle down in the compartment a and form a deposit on the bottom of the vessel, and any particles which may float up (and which might'otherwise escape) are arrested by the fllterl). In lieu of arranging the apparatus to catch the waste from the sink or basin of the photographer, it may be so formed as to be adapted for use in the place of the sink or other vessel generally used, and so that the washings can be conveniently done over the compartment a. It is important, however, to have the bag 0, or other receptacle for containing' the precipitant, located near the upper portion of compartment a, or so that the fresh solutions entering will come continually in contact with the precipitant, and so that the latter will not at any time haveits efficiency impaired by the-collection about it of any deposit or sediment. In lieu of the bag shown any other suitable device for the retention of the precipitant may, of course, be employed.

Having so fully explained the construction and operation of my improved apparatus for the recovery of gold and silver from waste solutions that any one skilled can make and use it, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A suitable vessel, substantially such as described, adapted to receive the Waste solutions and prevent their esca'pe therefrom above the bottom, and provided with a means for holding the precipitant wh re the solution will come into contact with it as they enter the vessel, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. In combination with a vessel or receptacle provided with a means for retaining the precipitant, and adapted to permit the passage into' and from it of the solutions to be treated, of a partition or its equivalent for the purpose of arresting those particles precipitated which might otherwise escape, and inducing them to settle down in lieu of following the current of discharge, as hereinbefore set forth.

3. In combination with a suitable vessel provided with a means for holding the precipitant, and the means for inducing the settlement of the precipitated metal, a filter arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose hcreinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I -have hereunto set my hand and seal this 1st day of June, 1872.

JEHYLEMAN SHAI'V. [L. 3.]

In presence of- J. N. Mcln'rmn, J noon FELBEL.

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