BBTTS'S PATENT QUARTZ PULVERISING MACHINE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 254, 11 April 1888, Page 7

BBTTS'S PATENT QUARTZ PULVERISING MACHINE.

Ma Henry Betts has ( says the Christchnrch Press) just arrived from Reefton with a model of his recently patented gold quartz pulverising machine ; and intends having a working plant made on the lines of his patent. There is no douht that the machine invented by Mr Betts is far superior in design to any quaitz crushing machine we have seen at wovk in this country, for its very simplicity prevents its being compared with that machine brought out by the Red Hill Company, which possesses other expensive and complicated apparatus besides its Aekham's pulveiiscr. Mr Betts has aimed at giving us a pulveriser that will also embrace the functions of an amalgamtor, and, besides this, be compact, easily worked, and suitable in cost, and design for any part of New Zealand. The proposed machine is about 4ft Gin high by 4ft in diameter, will weigh about 5 tous ; and can be driven up to a high rate of speed by a 10-horsc power engine, when it, is calculated that it will reduce Q i\ tons of quartz to the consistency of flour in one hour (or equal to the work ot 15 head of stampers). In construction the machine resembles a large coffee mill, with this difference, that instead of the inner cone being taper and the revolving part, it is the outer shell which revolves and tapers in ciicumferenee from its upper edge to the middle of the inner cone, then spreads out like a great flange to cover the butt of the cone. The quarts first enters the machine between the crown of the cone and the upper edge of the outer shell ; the cone is fitftd with numeions flanges of cast steel (which arc removable at will), and those loim the cutting odge to the

revolving shell. When tlio qwrtrtlms parsed through ihi-s fn st grinding portion of the machine it enters between the flange of tlio shell and the widest part of tlif eono, this wide part (or butt) of the cono is iluted to oiler another cutting edi>e to the powdered qu-iH'/., nnd to distribute it. more equally over the grinding surface By the time the quarta has passed through the machine it h completely pulverised, nnd foils as a powder, or father as n niul, into a copper trough, which completely encircles the base of the machinery. This trough is charged with mercury, and tlio powdered stone is bi ought into contact with the mercuiv by the action of forks attached to the lower edge of the revolving shell passing through the trough. The process of amalgamation is also a^isted by a current 0/ electricity which i.s convoyed to one or moie paits of the copper trough ; thus the stone, besides being thoroughly pulverised, is tieated to a more complete proce** of amalgamation than is gonerally accorded to it. We can only conclude by wishing Mr Betts success with his invention, and ue sincerely hope i lint the machine will \>ork .is satisfactorily 111 practice as it does in thcoiy.---Otngo ' "Witness, !M«arch 10,