Relichunter2 Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 A friend of mine bought a a bunch of stuff at a estate sale of a man who was at one time a assayer in California. It's dated 1915 and Royal Manufacturing....we can't seem to figure out what it is or was used for. Anyone have any ideas....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Looks like an improvised impact mill...Could be wrong, but it doesn't look like a very efficient design...Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser John Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Now that contraption would make even Rube Goldburg proud-John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
49goldrushtradingpost Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 John......you have any ideas what it is....? Figured you would have an answer.. Us Mariposans have no clue down here...Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacGump Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Flux capacitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) It's a doodlebug - doodlebug is an old mining term for any custom made contraption.It looks like a grind amalgamator for a small stamp mill. The purpose being to regrind the stamp product to size and to introduce mercury to the output. I'm guessing the homemade separators are for dust and tailings control. The amalgamator could be run wet or dry in most cases. It's pretty small so it could have been a one off for bulk assay work.Here's a modern example of a grind amalgamator.Here's an old one: Edited September 22, 2015 by clay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampstomper Al Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) Can you get us more photos, from other side & of whole thing + one of feed end..?What says Royal Mfg..? -- the piece at the bottom that looks like a blower..?Looks like a home made combo mill / forced air / gravity separator to me..SAEdit -- Oh, looks like Clay's got it, or durn close.. Edited September 22, 2015 by Swampstomper Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel Pan Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Original Starbuck's expresso machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
49goldrushtradingpost Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Clay, that is very plausible..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Home made leaf mulcher. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Au Seeker Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 I'm pretty sure that Adam got it right!! Seriously does it have a patent number on it anywhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoser John Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Looks like the pulverizer feed is run by the white engine, that feeds down to a blower, that blows it up the tube where gravity lets the heavies fall down the other tube and lights blown out the other end..... maybe???? hahahaha what a hoot, I think Dr Seuss has it right as convolution is not the solution. GOOGLE got nothing close either?? The hunt is on, patent #s, good idea-John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Ya know, I always wanted to be a 'Star Bellied Sneetch', they were the best 'Sneetches on the Beaches'. But lo only my belly now looks like theirs, no star but it does have scars. Looks like that contraption is powered by a Johnson outboard motor with a long shaft running down to the hopper on the bottom (Might be a blower). The object in front of the motor looks like a headlight frame that is welded on a support and might be used as a funnel. We could use more pictures????A way up the San Domingo Wash there is a old mine works that has a lot of Rube Goldberg gismos in it that resembles this one. Some of these old timers were real genius in there modifications of working apparatus. Old Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalliKile Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Looks like an old moonshine still disguised as assay equipment. I know it doesn't look like one, but that's what make the disguise so clever. Hard liqueur,It'll get you there quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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