A New Gold-Washing Machine.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 123, 19 March 1872, Page 6

A New Gold-Washing Machine.

I j Dr Beer lias lately patented a new macliin ;! for gold-washing, which he calls a “ differeii ' tial specific gravities amalgamator,” bein I based upon the difference of the specific gra - j vities of the substance used. Me is contiden i that the machine is superior to all « itheij , | employed for the same purpose. It consist x (says the liAccii'm'ood Miir'r) of a turbine fa: with nine flanges, attached to a horizoiita | wheel about two feet in diameter, which re II volvos iu a strong sheet-iron cylinder. Be I: neath the fan are rakes, which rotate sinral i taneonsly on the same axle. The whole rest 1 in a circular pan a few inches larger than tli £ | cylinder, hen in operation, the lip of tli ' cylinder will be supported slightly above tli bottom of the pan containing the mercury into which it will just dip. The rakes wil f revolve at a level slightly above the surfac . of the mercury. The machine is self-actir.2 ; Its motion is acquired by a constant discharg (1 upon the fan of the water and wash-stuff fro: the sluice-box. As this stuff passes betwee ’ the flanges of the fan it is kept in motion 0 and prevented from clogging by the action ( c the rakes beneath. The water within tl r ' cylinder, it is expected by the inventor, wii y have sufficient gravity to force its way again: i the resistance of the mercury beneath the 1; |of the cylinder, and carry with it pyrites 1 sand, Ac., the gold remaining at the bottoi o of the pan. Dr Deer anticipates that tl if pyrites and heavier substances, after passin e ; out of the cylinder, will remain floating o: 11 the mercury iu the pan outside, but that tl o water and light substances will flow off, an v I the amalgamator thus be kept in good worl hj ing order. He states that it can he easil; ;J attached to any quartz-crusher, and may 1 (1 advantageously used for washing alluvium. C | ■— . _i.