US245092A - Foueth to w - Google Patents

Description

2 sheets-sneer, 1.

A. W. PORTER. APPARATUS FOR'AMALGAMAITING METALS.

No. 245,092. Patented Aug. 2,1881.

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. W. PORTER. APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING METALS. I

No. 245,092. Patented Aug. 2,1881;

MAMHL M Witnesses:

Inventor:

UNITED STATES in the United States Patent PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO W. PORTER, on NEW YORK, N. Y., nssrenon or one TWENTY- FOURTH TO w. P.

ROBINSON, TRUSTEE,

FOR THE PORTER MACHINE AND MINING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING METALS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 245,092, dated August 2, 1881.

' Application filed October 31, 1879.

State of New York, have invented a new and V valuable Improvement in Apparatus for Am algamatin g Metals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the.

same, reference beinghad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. e V

Figure 1 is a side view of the amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner cylinder with its attachments.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of amalgamators popularly known as vacuum-amalgamators, in which the pulp or pulverized ore is drawn through the medium of amalgamation-column of mercury under the condition of exhaust produced by suction or under the influence of atmospheric pressure.

This application, although filed first, is intend ed to cover or protect the special combinations of a revolving hopper and its necessary adjuncts in this class of machines, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and also described and shown in the companion application filed by me April 16, 1880, now pending Office, but not specially claimed therein; it

The improvements will, first be described, and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In "the annexed drawings, the letter A represents a suitable frame for supporting the apparatus ina vertical position. This frame is provided with a suitable base cross-bar, b,

tical shaft, hereinafter described.

The letter B indicates the revolving outer case or hopper, forming a receiver for the pulp or pulverized ore on its way to the amalgamating-chamber. Within this outer case is ar- .with step c to receive the lower end of the verranged an inner cylinder, D, suspended by the connection with a dome,

basilar flange E, properly secured to the crossbeams d d of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The flange E of the inner cylinder extends outward, with an upturned edge, e, forming, in F, when resting on the upper surface of the flange, an annular space or receptaclefor water, to hermetically seal the eduction or vacuum chamber Q.

The dome F-is preferably formed of glass, but maybe made of cast-iron, and rests upon the flange E, lined with a suitable gasket.

which may be made of rubber, leather, or paper. To complete the sealing of this dome resting upon the flange E, forming a floor for the vacuum-chamber, water is conveyed to the space f between the outer surface of the dome and the vertical wall e of the flange, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The now-called floor h of the dome F is depressed (see Fig. 2) to form a sink or well to catch and retain whatever mercury may settle thereon through the action of the rising and falling column of mercury under suction, and for the sweeparms or stirring device H, attached to the upper end of the shaft by means of a suitable collar, or cap placed above the brace-bar I, hereinafter set forth.

A combined yoke and. brace-bar, I, is formed or attached to the upper end of the inner cylinder, (see Fig. 4,) forming an upper bearing for the shaft'O and maintaining the same in a vertical position. This shaft O, which is pref erably made of wood, and by its size modifies the capacity of the inner cylinder for holding mercury, is shaped and squared to fit a formed recess or cavity (not shown) in the bottom ofthe outer case or hopper, and is, of course,

strongly secured to prevent any possible displacement or working out of line.

The lower shaft, 0, having its bearing in the step 0, may be an extension cast upon the outer case; or the shaft 0 may be of metal in one piece and passed entirely through the outer casein a suitable manner. This shaft O is provided with a series of solid flanges, arms, or open spiral stirrers, K, constituting agitat ors, suitably attached to give a sinuous or wave motion to the ascending pulp or pulverized ore.

The object of causing the material pulp to pass in a sinuous passage through the column of mercury is to keep it in contact with the same for a longer period of time, and to add friction, whereby the amalgamation is greatly increased; also, while the pulp or pulverized material is in transit through the mercury in vacuum the stirrersKwill separate any masses of the pulp or gangue that might possibly collect. And, again, should the pulp or pulverized ore be fed at one side only of the column of mercury, these stirrers will distribute the pulp in its upward passage and bring the column of mercury into uniform activity and use to further promote and increase the amalgamation.

The stirring devices M N, attached to the outer surface of the inner cylinder and the inner surface of the outer revolving case or hopper, are arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or in any other position, so that they will co-operate-i. 0., some of the stirring devices being stationary and the others having a motion caused by the rotation of the hopper-to produce the desirable result-to wit, prevent the packing of the material in the induction-chamber, and to constantly and uniformly feed the pulp to the column of mercury.

Within the vacuum-chamber Q, which is of larger diameter than the cylinder-chamber for containing the column of mercury, formed by the detachable dome, floor, and water-seal hereinbefore described, are arranged the upper and lower eduction or discharge pipes, I, (see Fig. 1,) passing outward through the supporting-flange of the inner cylinder, and downward at an angle not less than forty-five degrees, and uniting at a point below the connection with a suitable exhausting or suction means.

The object of the upper discharge-pipe, 7c, is to carry ofi'and discharge the lighter refuse, and the use of the lower discharge-pipe, l, which is provided with a suitable valve, m, to control its function, is to discharge the heavier or coarser particles of the material that settle or collect upon the floor of the vacuum-chamber. This now-termed double-arm siphon 5, as already stated, has its lower end connected to an ejector or exhaust-pump, (not shown in the drawings,) and its upper termini consisting of the two branches, k I, located at the top and bottom of the vacuum-chamber, as shown.

The dome F is detachable to admit access to the interior of the vacuum-chamber to enable the attendant to examine the parts, &c.

In some cases the fiow of water may pass from the seal-space into the vacuum-chamber by corrugatin g the lower edge of the dome and drawing in the water by the exhaust or suction means for the purpose of diluting the pulp within the vacuum-chamber.

The bottom of the outer case or hopper is provided with a draw-off cock, substantially as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Operation: The apparatus being properly arranged and ready for operation, a quantity of mercury is placed in the outer case or hopper, the prepared pulp or pulverized ore is passed into the hopper or outer case, falling on top of the mercury, the water run into the seal-space, and the air is exhausted by the exhaustin g means from the vacuum-chamber. By the combined action of the exhaust-tension of the air in the vacuum-chamber and the atmospheric pressure acting upon the surfaces of the material in the hopper, the materials rise in a column in the suspended cylinder to the highest point, which is determined by the degree of the exhaust, the maximum being thirtyinches, but in practice twenty-two inches. The exhaust being maintained at the maximum degree, the pulp in the outer case fills the induction-chamber B, and, being constantly and evenly fed to the column of mercury, is drawn upward by the aforesaid combined actions, where, by reason of difference of specific gravity, the pulp rises to the upper surface of the mercury, gradually filling up the enlarged vacuum-chamber to the level of the upper eduction-pipe,-the lower eduction-pipe being closed. The pulp, in passing through this column of mercury, has the desired efi'ect of the ore parting with its gold and silver, which are separated and retained by the mercury, and the refuse or lighter portions of the pulp, collecting on the surface of the mercury within the vacuum-chamber, are carried 011' through the upper or branch pipe, K, of the double-arm siphon by the suction.

It will be observed that the ascending pulp is further mixed with the mercury by means of the stirrer or sweeping blade located within the vacuum-chamber, so as to secure a thorough mixture of the ore with the mercury, and free the lighter particles or waste from the same, which are afterward carried off by the upper pipe, as already stated. Also, by this same action of the sweeping-blade, the small particles or flour ofmercury are collected and united, and the coarser or heavier portions of the pulp, which settle upon the floor of the vacuum-chamber, are concentrated or united more closely, and when the vacuum-chamber is sufficiently filled with the same the valve is opened in thelower eduction-pipe, and,being constantly swept over by the stirring device, are ejected, with the tailings, by the exhaust. The valve is now closed, and thus, without stopping the operation of the apparatus, the process is continued.

This application is not designed to cover any peculiarities of process involved, nor any peculiarities of structure other than that of the revolving hopper and its necessary adjuncts, as the other features shown and described are claimed in another pending application filed by me April 16, 1880.

I claim 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a vacuum-chamber having I a suspended cylinder for holding a column of 15' case or hopper, of the inner suspended cylinder with a vacuum-chamber, a vertical shaft with stirring means arranged within the inner 2o vacuum-chamber.

cylinder, and the stirring device at the upper end of the said shaft and located within the 4. In an amalgamator, the combination of the outer revolving supply-hopper, provided with the stirring devices N N, and the suspended cylinder D, for holding a column of mercury under exhaust, provided with the stirring device M, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an amalgamator, the combination of a vacuum-chamber having a suspended cylinder for holding a column of mercury, and provided'with a yoke and brace-bar, I, and stirring device M, revolving supply-hopper with the stirring devices N N, and the vertical shaft 0, revolving with the hopper, provided with the stirring devices K and H, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALONZO W. PORTER. Witnesses:

E. G. HEYLMUN, J. TYLER POWELL.

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