US528969A - Automatic amalgamator sluice-box - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3. Sheets-Sheet 1.

' II. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC AMALGAMATOB; SLIIIGL BOX. No. 528,969. Patented Nov. 18, 1894. Y

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC AMALGAMATOR SLUIGE B0X.

N0. 528,969. Patented NOV. 13, 1894.

INo Modal.)A j @sheetssheet H. L. PHILLIPS.

AUTOMATIC .AMALGMATOR SLUI'GE BOX.

Patented Nov. 13, 1894.v

Wim. mm. XN

Nits l STATES FFIC@ HERBERT L. PHILLIPS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC AIVIALGAMATOR vs LUlCl-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,969, dated November 13, 1894.

Application flied April 2s, 1 894.

A placer gold mining, and consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

This invention is more particularly applicable to the separation of the particles of gold from the alluvial deposits of auriferous earth, but may be employed in any other localities Where it may be found practicable.

This invention comprises a screening apparatus whereby the sand or gravel containing the particles of gold may be separated into particles of different sizes, and in which it is pulverized and dissolved; and slllice boxes through which the screened lnaterial is caused to pass and in which provision is madefor the complete separation of the particles of gold from the baser material.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation, of the apparatus complete. sectional detail of the'siphou discharge mechanism of the sluice box. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of the sluice box at one of the points where the amalgam plates are placed, illustrating the manner of arranging them. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the screen mechanism, andFig. 6 is a cross section of the same, on the line a: of Fig. 5, looking toward the tail end of the screen. Fig. '7 is a rear elevation of the screen mechanism. Figs. 8 and 9 areenlarged Fig. 3 is an enlarged serial No. 508,606. or@ models at the point Where one of the mercury troughs is arranged, illustrating its construction.

The screeningy mechanism consists of an outer and inner set of revolving cylindrically arranged parallel rods, the outer set of rods being nearer together than the inner set, whereby the finer material is separated from the coarser material. ,The construction ofthe screen is shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, A being the outer set of rods, and A2 the inner set of rods.

B B2 are two rings having channels or tracks for the carrier rolls D D2 and against the interiors of which the outerset of rods A are supported by rings B2 B4, the interstices between the rings B B3 B2 B4 alld the rods A being filled with Babbitt7 metal, or the rods otherwise secured firmly in place.

At the head end of the apparatus a ring B5 is secured, and in this ring the head ends of the inner set of rods A2'are riveted or bolted, as shown. The rear ends of the inner set of rods extend beyond the ring B and are riveted through the inner edge of a ring E. A sufficient number of the inner sets of rods A2 are extended to support a plate or disk E2 as shown at ct', the plate E2 forming the closed rear end of the screen. These extended rods serve to draw all the parts together, as hereinafter explained.

Attached to the center of the end plate E2 is a small drum E2, and attached to the outer surface of this drum are a series of curved sheet metal buckets F', the outer ends of the buckets being curved outward while the innerends are riveted fast to the next bucket in advance, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 10, and 11.

Within the space between the rings B B3 and E and Aoutside the inner rods A2, are another series of sheet metal buckets F2`the outer ends of these buckets being curved outward while their i nner ends are curved around the outer surfaces of the rods A2 and riveted by their other ends to the next bucket in advance, as shown. The buckets F F2 are secured by their outer ends by small brackets to the plates E E2.

The outer ends of the rods A2 which are extended, as before stated, are provided with nuts 0.2 so that they can be yutilized to draw the plates E E2, buckets F F2, and other IOO parts all closely together and hold them firmly 1n place. By this arrangement the buckets F discharge the material which is too coarse to pass through the spaces between the rods A', while the buckets F2 discharge the material which is too coarse to pass through the spaces between the rods A.

Between the sets of rods A A2 are plates A2 arranged in screw form, as shown, so that the material will be conveyed along the screen rods and discharged upon the buckets F2. The screw plates are secured in place by the rods A A2 passing through them, as shown, and theinner edges g project beyond the rods A2 into the interior of the separator to a suiiicient distance to act as a screw conveyer to carry the material along and dis charge it into the buckets F.

The rollers D D2 are supported upon the inner sides of the main sluice box D2, as

shown, so that all the material which passes t through the spaces between the outer set of rods A', will be caught in the sluice box.

G G2 are spouts or troughs arranged beneath the buckets F and F2 and resting by their ends upon the upper edge ot the sluice box D2, and adapted to support the material passing over the ends of the rods A A2, so that the buckets will pick it up and discharge it od to the sides of the machine, the trough G2 being extended at G3 to convey the material into a secondary sluice box D4, While the trough G is extended at G4 to convey the material beyond the secondary sluice box to the waste heap.

The screen may be revolved in any suit able manner, or by any suitable or available means. Where the supply of water is suiticient, a portion may be employed to run a water wheel, as at H', in a fiume H2, and adapted to actuate bevel gearing H3 H4 upon one end of the screen, but any suitable means may be employed to actuate the screen.

D5 represents the spout through which the supply of water will be fed to the screen,and D6 is the chute through which the material to be separated is fed to the spout, and conducted thence by the flowing water into the screen, the force of which must be suiticient to carry the material into and through the screen.

None of the particles of the material to be separated by the screen, should be larger than the buckets F can handle, and to prevent any particles which are too large from passing into the screen, I arrange within the spout D5 between the chute and screen a series of inclined rods D7 which thus serve to prevent too large pieces of stone or other material from passing into the screen.

Both of the sluice boxes Ds D4 are arranged gradually sloping downward from the screen, and with the sides gradually converging, toward the lower ends, as shown, so that the current of water will flow constantly through the sluice boxes and by the convergence of the sides be steadily contracted more and more, so that the force of the current will be steadily increased from the head to they tail, the water constantly rising higher and higher in the sluice box as the sides are contracted, and thereby forming a constantly increasing upward suction upon the material carried along by the water, and effectually preventing its settling upon the bottom and banking therein. Thisisaveryimportant feature, as it insures the free and unobstructed action of the apparatus and prevents clogging or banking.

The material discharged into the secondary sluice box D4 consists of the coarser particles of gravel and earth and larger nuggets ot` gold, and some small quantities ot dust gold, which may adhere to the larger particles of gravel, or undissolved earth, but will genererally contain gold only in larger or nugget form.

The sluice box D3 is lined throughout its bottom and for a sufficient distance np its sides to insure their extending above the tiow of water, with corrugated amalgam plates K.

The sluice box D4 will not generally be provided with the amalgam plates, but may be provided with them if required.

At suitable intervals across both the sluice boxes Dand D4are inserted mercury troughs clsunken into the bottom of the boxes, to receive and hold the pellets ot gold charged amalgam detached from the plates and carried along by the current. lhese mercury troughs are made removable from the boxes without interfering with their action or shutting oh? the water, and the construction is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, which represents their details of construction on an enlarged scale. The mercury troughs d' are supported in secondary troughs d2, the latter having tubular ends and inserted through the sides ot the sluice box so as to be revolved from the outside.` One side of the trough d2 rises higher than the other as shown at (Z3, so as to project above the bottom of the box and act as a riiile to retard or check the tlow ofthe water and permit the particles ot' gold to sink into the mercury troughs.

When the mercurytroughsare toberemoved, the tubular outer trough d2is revolved on e halt a revolution, or until the rilile edge (Z3 rests upon the opposite'edge of the cavity made for it in the bottom of the sluice box, at d4, the trough d2 then being turned upside down and cutting off the water from the mercurytroughs so that the latter may be drawn out through the end of the trough d2 when its cap d5 is removed. By this means the mercury troughs maybe readily removed and replenished without interfering with the action of the apparatus.

The iirst one of the mercury troughs next the separator, will be larger than the others, as it will receive the first instalment ot` the gold, which has been set free by the action of the separator.

For a short distance below the first mercury IIO trough, or the one next the separator, the bottom of the sluice box D2 is formed with a slightly steeper incline, as shown at D1, so as to elevate the bottom of the trough to conform to the lirst ri/fdc, and also to accelerate the flow of the water at the commencement of its passage through the wider end of the sluice box. At suitable intervals along the sluice box are inserted additional corrugated plates K2 with amalgam material upon both sides and placed a short distance apart in parallel lines, between which the water Hows, so that a very greatly increased amalgam su rface is provided, to insure the thorough contact of every particle of the material carried along by the water with the amalgam surfaces. As many ot' these plates K2 may be employed as may be required, and they may be placed at intervals sufficiently close to meet the requirements of the work to be performed or the condition of the material being treated. The plates K2 will be made easily removable, as shown in Fig. 4, which represents a cross section of the sluice box at the point where a set of these plates occur, each of the edges e ofthe plates being supported by a separate rib e2. At the lower or discharge end of the sluice box it is curved downward, as shown at Ds in Figs. 2 and 3, and is provided at the bottom of the curvewith one of the mercury troughs d.

Beyond the curved portion D8 between the sides of the sluice box, is arranged a curved cross partition D0, the upper portion h being about on a level with the bottom of the main portion of the sluice box, while the lower portion of the partition is curved backward,

just above the mercury trough, as shown at h2, so as to cause the water to flow backward in whirling eddies in the pocket formed between the portions D8 and D0, and so retard and agitate the Water to cause the particles carried by it to be precipitated with greater certainty. Above the partition D0 and curved portion D8 is arranged a con- Vex cover or top D10 to the sluice box, the lower side of this cover being corrugated, the corrugations running crosswise of the sluice box, as shown. The cover D10 is hinged at t so that it can be folded back upon the sluice box to aord easy access to the pocket, when required.

D11 is a curved corrugated cross partition inserted above the curved portion D8 between the sides of the sluice box, the corrugations running crosswise of the sluice box, and covered on both sides with amalgam material, the interior of the curved partition D0, the outer surface of the curved portion D8 and the lower surface of the convex portion D10 being also covered with the amalgam. By this arrangement the material just before being discharged from the sluice box is agitated and thrown into whirling eddies by passing through the depressed portion, the convex partition D10 forming a siphon like conformation which` greatly adds in the separation and retention of any particles of gold which may escape contactwith the amalgam surfaces or mercury troughs.

By this simple construction the material is fed to the spout D5and thence conveyed to the revolving screen where it is separated into three or more grades of tineness; first, the larger grade, which is only the coarse gravel or rock containing no valuable particles and remaining inside the central cylinder formed by the rods A2 and conveyed by the combined action of the inner edges of the screw conveyer plates and the running water to the buckets F by which it is discharged into the spout G4; second, the next finer grade which passes between the spaces between the some of the amalgam plates or mercuryy troughs. The action of the rods revolvingin the water is to thoroughly pulverize and dlgssolve the particles or lumps of clay and earth, and thoroughly scour the sand and gravel, so

that every particle of the gold is separated from all other matter so that when running down the sluice box and coming in contact with the amalgam plates, the particles of gold are readily seized by the mercury and none of them escape with the tailings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isl. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sides converging from the head to the tail and having a lining' of amalgam plates with corrugations running lengthwise of the sluicebox, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sides converging from the head to the tail and having a lining of amalgam plates, and with mercury troughs at suitable intervals in the bottom of said sluice box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box lined with amalgam plates having corrugations running lengthwise of the box, and with a series of removable amalgam plates set in close parallel relations length- Wise of the box vand corrugated to correspondv to said plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

4t. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box lined with amalgam plates and with a downward curved end, a mercury trough at the extremity of the curved end, a backwardly and upwardly curving cross parlog IIC

tition forming a depression in the sluice box, and a convex cover above said partition and having a lining of amalgam plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In au automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with the sides converging from the head to the tail, a screen revolving in said sluice box and through which the material to be treated is passed and in which it is scoured and dissolved, the portion of the bottom of said sluice box next to thetail end of said separator being elevated to form a rifle or check to the ilowing material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box,`

a sluice box having tubular troughs d2 inserted in cavities across the bottom thereof and adapted to be oscillated and with one edge projecting upward to form riffles in the bottom of the sluice box, and adapted to support removable mercury troughs d', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice box with its sides converging from the head to the tail, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

8. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box,

y a sluice box converging from the head to the tail,and provided with adepression or Siphon at its discharge end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an automatic amalgamator sluice box, a sluice'box lined with amalgam plates and with a downward curved end DS, a mercury trough at the extremity of the curved end, a backwardly and upwardly curving cross partition forming a depression in the sluice box, a convex cover above said partition aud curved portion, and a corrugated cross partitionlsubstantially as and for the purpose set fort 10. In an automatic arnalgamator sluice box, a separator formed of an outer cylinder of horizontal rods and an inner cylinder of horizontal rods set a greater distance apart than the rods of said outer cylinder and connected by heads at their ends and adapted to be re volved iu the sluice box, and with a screw couveyer plate between said cylinders of rods and with the rods passing through the screw conveyer plates, whereby the material is fed from the head to the tail of the screen when said screen is revolved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT L. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

C. N. WooDWARD, v H. S. WEBSTER.

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