US2579881A - Amalgamating machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1951 Wj STYLES 2,579,881.

AMALGAMATING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Y N Q Y? I f .I J

I 'l I I I I 1 l 0\ u N ,qw

Dec. 25, 1951 w. STYLES 2,579,881

AMALGAMATING MACHINE Filled March 18, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 25, `1951 STATES ears-Nr ori-Trice 2,579,881 -AMALGAMATING MAGHINE Wesley Styles,- Minneapolis, Minn.

`Appli-cauon- March 18, 1946,serial-Normateca My' present invention `relates to an improved machine for separating precious metals, such as gold and the like, from placer or other rather ne'ly 4divided ores and, generally stated, `consists of novel devices, combinations of devices andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and deiine'd in the claim.

VAs is well known, gold is the precious metal most usualy separated from its bearing ore by the process known as amalgamation,` and mercury is` the `amalgarnator generally employed for this purpose.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a machine of the general character described bymeans of which a greater percentage of the ,gold or other precious metal irl-.placer or similar ore may be separated from the ore than has been possible with prior art machines.

A -further objectof the invention is the pro- 1 claim. (C1. 209-205) vision of an improved machine of the kind and for the purpose set forth wherein nely divided ore in sludge form will be prepared for and subject to theprocess of amalgamation while passing through a single chamber of the machine. In this connection attentionis called to the fact that the gold` bearing particles of placer ores inparticularare' often coatedV with a substance not soluble in the mercury or other suitable amalga mator and, that if such coating be not removed, the gold bearing particles so coated will bev carried over anddischarged with Athe residuesludge. In accordance With the present invention I largely overcome this loss-of precious metal bypassing the gold bea-ring ore in'l wet or sludge form through an amalgamating chamber containing a suitable quantity of amalgamating medium, such asmercury, and providing in saidchamber means whereby the ore is continuously subject `to the following compound action, `to wit: 4(a.) a violent agitation ofthe ore which subjects the particles towa scrubbing action tending to polish olf the protective coating or layer; (b) a violent impingement of the oreparticles against ahard andv preferably roughened surface tending to actually crack as wellV as wear or polish off theprotective coating; and v(c) producing a violent and` thorough mixing of the ore particles with the amalgamating mercury or medium. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, this multiple action is accomplished in a non-rotary or stationary amalgamating chamber of` generally cylindrical shape havingV aroughenedy peripheral surface to aid in crackingvv and, 'sccnirin-gA the-coating mentioned andcon- 2 taininga rotary agitator to ,produce the above mentioned violent a'gitationof the ore sludge for the .purpose of scrubbing andl mixingb with the amalgamating medium and which also throws the sludge against the stationary peripheral wall of the chamber with great force which tends to crack` vthe coatings on the particles in the manner mentioned.

, In `machines of the type herein illustrated,in which the amalgamating chamber is, horizontally elongated and formed in a stationary housing, some -d-iiliculty has been4 encountered in main-y taining-,a-uniform'levelof mercury or other amal-` gamating mediumrvthroughout the length of the amalgamatingchamber throughout theV amalgamating process-andv the tendency of the continuouslt7 moving body of ore sludge to draw the mercury `a-malgamator toward theroutput end of the ama-lga-mated chamber. In fact, in. some cases, this draggingaction `ofthe moving column or sludge on the mercury tends to build up the mercury level at the output'end of the amalgamating chamber above .the residue sludge outlet and, of course, if this happens, there is an im-` mediate loss of Valuable `mercury or equivalent` amalgamator. Y

`Another object,y therefore, of the present invention is the provision ofan improved structure wherein the level of mercury, or other amalgamator, will remain` substantially constant from one end of `the amalgama-ting chamberto the other endthereof regardless of the velocity of sludge movementlongtudinally of the amalgamatingfchamber, and to this end I- provide, in accordancefwith-the present invention, a` return passage for the mercury, or other amalgamatingmedium,` leading from the lower output end portion-of the amalgamating chamber to the lower input end portion of the amalgamatingl chamber. Preferably,` but not essential, this returnl passage is'equipped witlr a-suitable power driven pumping mechanismftor producing a continuous circulation of'v the-amalgamator from the output end back to the inputend of the amalgamating ch'amber.- :In accordance with the preferred ernbodiment of the invention uherein illustrated-,fthe said return-passage isinthe form of-anelongated cylinderand isequippedwith an impeller in the nature'of a feed-screw-like auger. V y

The `above and `other highly important i objects andadvantages of the inventionivwilli be made apparent from -therollowing specication, claim' and `:appended drawings. Y In `the vaccomparnkzing drawings like characters indicate likepa-rts Athroughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical axial sectional view through the machine incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in left end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. `3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the housing of the amalgamating machine is indicated as an entirety by I and comprises a horizontally disposed drum-like section 2 and removable heads 3 and 4 respectively. The intermediate drum-like section I of the housing is formed with an elongated horizontally disposed cylindrical bore providing an amalgamating chamber, and below said bore -5 the drum-like section 2 is formed withia cylindrical bore 6 that opens into the lower output end portion of the amalgamating chamber through` a port 1 and opens into the lower input end portion of the amalgamating chamber through a port 8. The bore 6 extends in parallel spaced relation to the amalgamating chamber forming bore 5 and provides, together with the ports 1 and 8, a return passage for the amalgamator from the output back to the input end portion of the amalgamating chamber. As previously indicated, the bore 6 is preferably provided with a suitable pumping device or impeller and does, therefore, serve also as a pumping chamber. In the preferred embodimentv of the invention illustrated, the pumping device or impeller is in the nature of a screw-type conveyor or auger 9 journalled at its opposite ends in thek opposite heads 3 and 4 respectively.` The heads 3 and 4 are anchored to the opposite ends of the housing section 2 by screws, or the like, I0. The rotary agitator of the amalgamating chamber is indicated as an entirety by II and comprises an driven at high speed which will. through the reduction gears I5, drive the auger-like mpeller 9 at a reduced speed with respect to the speed of the shaft I3 and its agitator Il. To separate gold, or the like, from placer or similar finely divided ore, the ore will be injected into the amalgamating chamber 5 through the inlet pipe I8 and cooperating passage I6 in wet or sludge form, and will flow through the amalgamating chamber to and out of the outlet passage I1 and discharge pipe I9. The flow through the machine can be continuous and will keep the ore sludge level in the amalgamating chamber above the bottom of the outlet passage I1. The rate of delivery of sludge ore to the inlet end of the amalgamating chamber should, however, be controlled to keep the sludge level in the amalgamating chamber below the axis of said chamber and the rotary agitator level.

As the sludge ore passes through the amalgamating chamber, it will be subject to violent agitation by the rotor blades I2 which will pro-- duce the beforementioned compound action which to repeat is as follows: k(a) the violent action of the ore sludge will cause the particles thereof to be scrubbed against one another and against the roughened wall of the amalgamating chamber and surfaces of the agitator blades which will tend to scrub off or polish off the amalgamation inhibiting coatings on the goldY with the mercury, or other amalgamating meaxially spaced `series of disc-like agitator blades I2 press fit on a power driven rotary shaft I3 with suitable spacing washers I4 applied between the blades I2. The agitator thus formed is an elongated affair extending substantially coaxially of the amalgamating chamber with opposite end portions of its shaft I3 journalled in the heads 3 and 4 respectively. One end of the shaft of the Vimpeller 9 and a corresponding end Vof the agitator 'shaft I3 extend through the housing head 3 and are connected by intermeshing gears I5. The` shaft I3 may be driven from any suitable source of power, such as an electric motor.

or the like, not shown. The housing head 3 is provided with an axial or sludge inlet passage I6, and the head 4 is provided with a similar residue sludge outlet passage I1.

An inlet pipe I8 leads downwardly into the passage I6 and an outlet pipe or conduit I9 leads downwardly from the residue outlet passage I1. The machine shown is supported by legs 20 formed integrally with the heads 3 and 4 respectively, and a suitable petcock 2I is provided for draining the mercury or -other liquid amalgamating liquid from the amalgamating chamber and from the underlying bore 6 through the bottom wall. of the housing.

Preparatory toV operation, the mercury, or other suitable amalgamating fluid, will be injected into the amalgamating chamber through the inlet I8 in quantity siiiiicient to ll the impeller-equipped pump chamber 6 and to bring the level thereof in the amalgamating chamber f 6 up to a point above the bottoms of the agitator blades IN2' butbelow the bottom lof the outlet passage I1. Also the agitator shaft I3 Will be dium, which is heavier than the ore sludge and will tend to remain at the bottom of the amalgamating chamber.Y Of course, all during this operation the mercury amalgamator will be continuously circulated over the bottom of the amalgamating chamber from the input toward the output end thereof and then returned to the input end of the amalgamatingV chamber by the auger 9 through the port 1, passage 6 and port 8. As previously indicated, this continuous returning ofthe mercury from the output end portion of the amalgamating chamber back to the input end portion thereof will automatically maintain the mercury level in the amalgamating chamber substantially uniform throughout the length of the chamber and will thereby eliminate the possibility of the mercury being carried over into the outlet passage I1 as a result of the flow of ore sludge in that direction. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the abovementioned roughened surface of the amalgamating chamber 5 may be produced by providing therein a closely spaced series of circular grooves or corrugations.

In practicel it has'been found that a larger percentage of the gold bearing particles in lthe ore will be removed during its passage through my improved machine than has been hitherto possible with prior art machines which, for the large part, are much more complex. In fact, it has been found'that only a very small percentage of gold bearing ore will be carried over into the outlet passage I1 withthe residue sludge, and that an unusually large percentage of the gold bearing ore will be successfully amalgamated,

odically, of course, the amalgamating mercury, or the like, will be drained oi through the petcock 2| and replaced.

What I claim is:

In an amalgamating machine, a stationary housing providing a horizontally elongated generally cylindrical amalgamating chamber adapted to contain a body of fluid amalgamating medium to a predetermined static level, an ore sludge inlet passage through one end Wall portion of the amalgamating medium, a residue sludge outlet through the other end wall portion of the amalgamating chamber and located above the static level Aci? the amalgamating medium, the inner wall surface of the stationary housing defining the periphery of the amalgamating chamber being roughened to aid in scouring and cracking of the amalgamation inhibiting coating on the ore particles, a horizontally eiongated rotary agitator within the amalgamating chamber and journalled in the end wall portions of said housing, said rotary agitator comprising a series of axially spaced agitating blades, power means for driving said agitator at high speed, whereby to produce a severe impingement of the ore particles against the roughened interior surface of the housing wall, said housing being formed below the amalgamating chamber thereof to provide an elongated cylindrical pump chamber extending substantially parallel to the amalgamating chamber, said housing wall being provided with, an amalgamating uid outlet passage from the lower portion of the amalgamating chamber at the output end thereof to one end of said elongated pump chamber, said housing wall being provided with a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 66,529 Smith /July 9, 1867 245,848 Mames Aug. 16, 1881 254,505 Rollins Mar. 7, 1882 290,802 Rollins Dec. 25, 1883 311,258 Randolph Jan. 27, 1885 366,130 Rollins July7 5, 1887 657,398 Day Sept. 4, 1900 889,813 Sachse June 2, 1908 999,814 Luckenbach Aug. 8, 1911 2,043,115 Phily June 2, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Italy-Jordan, 2nd Series, vol. 15, No. 551, pages 675, 678, plates CXLVI-CXLVII, May 20, 1884.

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