A Now Mercury Squeezer.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 128, 23 April 1872, Page 6

A Now Mercury Squeezer.

Tlio Thames Guardian has recently " had the pleasure of inspecting a small machine invented by Mr Severn, the manager of the Caledonian Tailings Battery, for the purpose of squeezing the mercury and amalgam obtained from berdans, and the tables or boxes of n crushing battery. The machine is one of the most simple and perfect contrivances that can be imagined,'and when any quantity of silver has to be squeezed proves an immense saving both in labour and actual expense, as one small piece of chamois leather can be used perhaps weeks or months, and still be good, and as much amalgam can be squeezed in one minute as would probably take a man an hour to do by hand. Tlio machine consists of a circular iron tube opeii at both ends, and can be made of any size, large or small, as necessary. The lower end, over which a piece of chamois is tightly stretched and firmly tied down, is smaller than the top, a small ledge being made round the outside to enable tlio leather to be tied so as to prevent its slipping. The quicksilver to be squeezed is poured into this tube, which is suspended over a bucket, and the top or cover is then screwed on. This cover, which contains a lining of guttapercha in order to make it lit closely, has also a small tube about three-eighths of an inch diameter fixed in the centre of it. To this tube is then attached by means of a coupling such as used in joining lire-hose, a small hose which brings water from •■', tank, or any other place, which requires to be fixed at sufficient height to give a good pressure of water. A tap is fixed to this hose, so that the tap can be turned on and off as wanted. When the water is I turned on, the pressure forces the silver ! through the leather in a perfect shower and leaves the amalgam behind well squeezed. On the occasion alluded to about lOlbs. of silver was forced through in about twenty seconds or less with a fall of 13ft. for the leaving the amalgam in the bottom of I the tube lying on the chamois, and quit" clear. We cannot speak too highly of this new invention, and feel sure that when once tried hand-squeezing would never again be resorted to. Besides the immense saving in labour and expense, the handling of themcr|ciuy, which is v<vy unhealthy, would be J loudly avoided, The cost of the apparatus is I only £l."