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suspension bolt is screwed firmly into the bridge of the cage proper, and passes loosely through a hole in 
the outer cage, which is immediately above it. A socket is formed in the upper bridge around the suspen¬ 
sion bolt to receive a spiral spring, which, when it is allowed to expand (by reason of the hook becoming 
disengaged or the rope breaking), assists to force the inner cage down. This inner cage has four studs (two 
on either side) which pass through slots provided in the sides of the outer cage or frame, and work in 
oblong holes formed therefor at the ends of the arms projecting from the four gripping and guide devices 
which are firmly pivoted to the side of the outer cage or frame. The top half on the one side and the 
lower half on the other side of the inner cheeks of the gripper and guide devices are serrated so as to grip 
the skids in the shaft, when the rope breaks, or when the whole weight of the inner cage is thrown on to the 
ends of the gripper arms. The disconnecting hook is formed on a continuation from the suspension bolt, 
and attached to the rope. A suitable thimble or rigid device is fitted on the uppermost, end of the skids. 
The hook is fitted with projecting arms, and is so arranged that when the arms strike against the thimble 
or other rigid device the two parts of the book become instantaneously disengaged, and so release the rope 
and prevent the cage from being overwound. 
Improved Amalgamator, —On the 2nd July, to Mr. W. E. Barry, of Nar rand era, in New South 
YY ales, miner, for an invention relating to amalgamators, and consisting in the use of a tube or bar, having 
an nmalgamnble surface revolving in a quicksilver trough in an opposite direction to the flow of the auri¬ 
ferous material, the larger part of such tube or bar being submerged in the quicksilver. Its operation is to 
present a constantly renewed quicksilvered surface to the flow of the auriferous material, so as to catch, 
submerge, and deposit the gold in the quicksilver trough, and to allow the balance to pass over it. 
Safety Cage. —On the 2nd July, to Mr. J. R. Hart, of Ferrars-street, South Melbourne, engineer, 
for an invention relating to safety cages for mining shafts and household and warehouse lifts, the essential 
feature of which lies in the use of long straight grippers carried on radius bars in recessed iron boxes on 
each side of the cage, the upper and lower ends of such boxes forming guides or shoes for passing over the 
skids. To the lower end of the suspension bar is attached a short cross bar to each end of which is con¬ 
nected a lever. These levers proceed to opposite sides of the cage, and each rests on a fulcrum on the top 
of the cage proper and is connected at its other end to the top of a connecting rod, the Jower end of which 
is attached to a long gripper which is carried on two radius bars, pivoted to the side of the cage. The top 
of the cage is covered with an iron canopy through which the suspension bar passes to the shackle or safety 
hook as the case may bo. Through this bar is placed a stud or pin above the canopy, and so prevents it 
from falling too far. Another stud is put through the bar underneath the canopy which abuts against its 
underside when the grippers are not gripping, and on this pin the cage is suspended. Two other studs are 
put through the lower end of the said bar to form a resistance for a spiral spring which passes round the 
bar and is compressed between them and the underside of the canopy. When the rope breaks the suspension 
bar falls of its own weight, accelerated by the pressure of the spring, and the grippers are instantaneously 
thrown on to the skids. Instead of the ordinary cam-faced or curved grippers, the inventor has substituted 
a long fiat-faced gripper which by reason of the radius bars grips the skids equally along its whole length. 
Safety Hook .—On the 14th July, to Mr. J. J. T. Noland, of Wimble-street, Castlemaiue, cabinet¬ 
maker, for an improved safety disengaging hook, and for certain improvements in safety machinery for 
operating the grippers of mining cages. 
Reciprocating Motion to Stampers .—On the 14th July, to Mr. R. II. Stone, of Brighton, civil 
engineer, for certain improvements in contrivances for giving reciprocating motion to parts of machinery 
(such as stampers), which contrivances consist of cams, or other gripping devices, to grip the stamper- 
slmnk and carry it, not only to the top of its stroke, hut also to retain such grip on the down stroke, and so 
give it immense impetus in delivering its blow. 
Improvements in Shaft Skids. —On the 14th July, to Mr. Francis Webster, of Tress-street, Ballarat, 
blacksmith, for making ratchet-faced skids for mining shafts, wholly of wood or wholly of iron, and for a 
Special combination and arrangement of machinery for supporting a safety-cage from the rope, and for 
operating the safety pawls. 
Amalgamating Machines. —On the 14th July, to Mr. Henry Moon, of Leicester, in England, for 
improvements in amalgamating machines of the shaking-table order. 
Crushing Machinery. —On the 21st July, to Mr. Allan Butters, of Ballarat, for a machine for 
crushing quartz, grain, aud other material. 
Electric Gold Extractor. —On the lltli August, to Mr. C. M. Otto, for the extraction of gold by 
means of an electric current in direct contact with the mercury by means of a platina point in the centre of 
the bottom of the mercury pan connected with the electric generator, the other connexion heiug made by 
two carbons united by copper wire, in the centre of which the connecting wire is fixed. 
Process of Treating New Caledonian Ores .—On the 20th August, to Mr. II. Herrenschraidt, etf 
Sydney, for a process of treating two kinds of ores found in New Caledonia, viz.:—1st, manganiferous ores 
of cobalt and nickel; 2nd, plain ores of nickel. The first ores arc boiled in a solution of proto-chloride of 
iron; then the nickel and cobalt arc precipitated, and the supernatant liquor cither crystallized or evaporated. 
In the latter case, the hydro-chloric acid is driven off to a suitable vessel, and the residual product is oxide 
of manganese. The second ores are first dissolved in the heated hydro-chloric acid; then the nickel is 
precipitated, and the remaining liquor evaporated to recover tho hydro-chloric acid, with which to make 
proto-chloride of iron for recommencing the whole process. 
Floating Apparatus for Sluicing -.—To Mr. G. B. B. Elliott, of No. 2 Sydney-terrace, East 
Melbourne, for an improved portable floating apparatus for sluicing alluvial earths, the object of which is to 
work river banks and beds, and to make canals from the hanks of creeks through alluvial flats for sluicing 
purposes. The apparatus consists—first, of a platform; second, of sluices; third, of tail-races for such 
sluices. The platform rests on a punt, which also supports an engine, a centrifugal pump, and an elevated 
tank. The sluices and tail-races each rest on other floating punts and buoys, while between each t here is a 
water-jigger. The excavated material is lodged on. the platform, and from thence conveyed to the sluice- 
head, where it is cleansed by a shower of water; second, when it reaches the jigger it receives a water 
pulsation, and finally is discharged down the tail-race. 
Safety Hook. —On the 27th October, to Mr. J. R. Hart, of Ferrars-street, South Melbourne, 
engineer, for an improved disengaging safety hook for mining cages, in which the tails of the two halves of a 
hook arc enclosed by a sleeve hold up by a spiral spring, so that, when the end of the sleevo comes against 
