US2375254A - Amalgamator - Google Patents

Description

May a, 1945.

J. c. SHANNON AMALGAMATOR 1 Filed June 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, M45. .1. SHANNON AMALGAMATOR Filed June 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Inventor Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED STATES"PATENT OFFICE 2,375,254 AMALGAMATOR Joseph C. Shannon, Leadville, 0010.

Application June 10, 1942, Serial No. 446,539

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in amalgamators, and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character comprising a coacting mortar and pestle of a novel construction and arrangement whereby maximum efficiency will be had.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an amalgamator of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of an amalgamator constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

' Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the pestle.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the pestle.

Figure 6 is a view in vertical section through the mortar.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the mortar.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it

will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a mortar I of suitable material and capacity. The mortar I includes supporting legs 2. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 6 of the drawings, the upper portion of the bowl 3 of the mortar I is formed to provide an annular trough 4.

Discharge openings 5 communicate with the mortar bowl 3 at the bottom thereof. Removable plugs t close the openings 5. Extending from the top to the bottom of the bowl 3 are spiral grooves or channels I. The grooves I communicate with the openings 5 and extend counter-clockwise therefrom to the annular trough 4 in the top of the bowl 3. A centrally located cone 8 rises from the bottom of the bowl 3. A discharge spout or chute 9 communicates with the trough 4.

The bowl 3 is adapted to rotatably receive a pestle I I3. The pestle It! has formed therein clockwise spiral grooves or channels II. Rising from the pestle I0 is a shaft I2. Extending through the shaft I2 and the pestle I I] is a bore or passage I3 comprising a substantially flared lower portion I4 which accommodates the cone 8.

An angular bracket I5 is mounted on the bowl 3.

A locking clamp IE on the bracket I5 encircles the shaft I2 for preventing unauthorized removal of the pestle Ill. Any suitable mean may, if desired, also be provided for preventing unauthorized removal of the plugs 6.

It'is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, with the plugs 6 in position in the openings 5, the mercury is placed in the mortar I. The pestle, I0 is then engaged in the mortar and secured by the locking clamp I6. The material to be treated, with enough solution to carry it, is fed in any suitable manner through the bore Or passage I3 in the pestle II]. The pulp is forced into the bottom of the mortar and comes into direct contact with the mercury and the fine flower gold is polished in direct contactwith said mercury. This polishing and grinding process removes foreign matter, et cetera, which frequently prevents perfect'amalgamationof fine gold. The pestle i0 is rotated in a clockwise direction and the action of the oppositely spiraled groves or channels I and II forces the loaded amalgam downwardly in the mortar I from which it may be conveniently drained off when desired by removing the plugs ii. This action also permits the uncontaminated mercury to rise to the upper portion of the mortar where it prevents the loss of any flowered mercury or gold that may be forced upwardly with the flow of material being treated. As the concentrate is forced through the amalgamator the overflow is discharged by the spout 9 onto an amalgam plate II. The overfiow from the plate I! may be treated in any suitable manner.

It is believed that the many advantages of an amalgamator constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention a claimed.

What is claimed is:

An amalgamator comprising a stationary cylindrical mortar having a cylindrical cavity and provided with a bottom wall having a central upstanding cone and a concave annular surface surrounding said cone, said bottom Wall having discharge openings located centrally between the sides of said concave annular surface, the cylindrical wall of the mortar having an annular trough formed in the upper edge thereof so as to define a high outer wall and a relatively low inner wall for the trough, the mortar having spiral grooves in the inner surface of its cylindrical wall communicating with the trough at their upper ends and with the discharge openings at, their lower ends, said higher outer wall having an outwardly inclined discharge spout, and a. cylindrical pestle rotatably fitted in said mortar and having its bottom shaped to fit the concave annular surface 01 the mortar bottom and formed with a central recess to fit said cone, said pestle having spiral grooves therein extending from the top of the cylindrical surface thereof to and across the bottom of the same, said last-named grooves extending in a direction opposite to that of the groove in the mortar.

JOSEPH C. SHANNON.

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