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the poppet-heads, it will give to the pressure, and set free the tails of the hook, which then become instantly 
disconnected. 
Air-blast Smelting Furnaces .—On the 12th November, to Mr. J. D. La Monte, of Sydney, 
metallurgist, for inventions relating to air-blast smelting furnaces, which are identical with one successfully 
at work at the Sunny Corners Silver Mines in New South Wales. 
Improved Process for Treating Auriferous Material .—On the 17th November, to Mr. John Dye La 
Monte, of Sydney, for an improved process of treating finely divided auriferous and argentiferous material 
prior to smelting it. By this process each particle of material is coated with lead prior to smelting. 
Improvements to Blast Smelting Furnaces .—On the 17th November, to Mr. Tlios. Gillespie, of 
vSydnoy, for the addition of a subsidiary closed chamber to blast smelting furnaces for the purpose of 
preventing the accumulation of slag in the bed. This subsidiary closed chamber is built beside the bottom 
of the ordinary furnace, and into it the ore is allowed to run as it melts, so that slag and regulus form 
themselves in the chamber instead of in the furnace. The flame is allowed to pass into the chamber, so as 
to preserve its contents in a state of fusion. An upper and a lower hole are made in one of its walls, the 
lower one being closed until the slag has all run out of the upper one; then the upper one is closed, and the 
regulus tapped through the lower one. 
Amalgamating Apparatus .—On the 2nd December, to Mr. Adam Miller, of Lime-street, London, 
ongineer, for an amalgamating apparatus, consisting primarily of two vertical chambers connected at bottom 
by a bend, so as to form a U, one side of which is smaller than the other. In each side there are grids and 
helical blades. The material to be treated is fed into the smaller side, down which it passes through the 
quicksilver and rises in the larger side, leaving the precious metals behind. A modification of this consists 
in making the smaller chamber concentric with the outer and larger. 
Amalgamating Apparatus .—Oil the 16th December, to Mr. J. T. Bircliall, of Albert-street, East 
Melbourne, engineer, lor an improved process of and apparatus for utilizing a current of air in amalgamating 
machinery. ° 
Amalgamating Apparatus .—Outlie 16th December, to Mrs. E. B. Parnell, of Albert-street, East 
Melbourne, metallurgist, for a novel construction of amalgamating wheel, revolving automatically within a 
casing containing quicksilver, which is kept lively by an electric current. 
Furnace for Treatment of Pyrites .—On the 31st December, to Mr. Conrad Icke, of Sydney, for 
^ Ieke’s cupola oven or furnace, for the treatment of pyrites and other ores and substances.” 
In addition to tlie above the following patent was applied for, hut lapsed in the 
absence of the necessary procedure:— 
Safety r Screw Brakefor Mining Cages .—Invented by Mr. Frederick Coates, of Ballarat, Victoria.— 
I ho inventor’s idea was that a hole should be bored through the sides of the cage near the top shoe or guide, 
and two pieces of forged iron about two inches thick, and an equal breadth as the band of the cage, and 
about two feet six inches in length, to be riveted on to the band each side of the cage (the inner side); a 
worm hole then to be bored through the centre of these pieces, and a screw to suit inserted, the inner side 
end of the screw to take the shape of a wheel with a lmudle attached, and when this is fixed the screw 
goes right through centre of shoe. Cages, as a rule, have a half-inch play between tho skid and shoe. 
When the men are going up or down in the cage, one man on each side should have hold of handle of wheel, 
so that if the rope was to break or engine over-wind, a turn of the wheels would send the screws into the 
skids of the shaft and jam it, thus giving the men power to act for themselves. 
APPENDIX L. 
The following suggestions for tho amendment of The Regulation, and Inspection of Alines Act, 
No. 783, have been made to this Department (see Synopsis of Act, page 92) :— 
1. That the practice of boring and charging holes, and exploding them singly, be prohibited. 
2. That self-closing gates, or two bars, be used at all entrances to shafts. (See general rule 
7, section 8 of Act.) 
3. That all chargers and scrapers, as well as tamping bars, be made of copper, or be copper- 
tipped. (See rule 2 of section 8.) 
4. That the practice of engines being left without drivers, from the time when men are 
lowered until they arc raised, be prohibited. 
5. That every boiler bo provided with a glass water-gauge, and not less than two try-cocks. 
That the safety-valve on a boiler bo not connected with either the steam pipe or steam 
stop-valve. 1 hat all boilers be subjected to a hydraulic pressure of not less than 1 ?, 
times that at which the safety-value blows off. (Gen. rule 35, sec. 8.) 
6. That before any boiler be built in position it he examined internally and externally, and he 
subjected to a test of not less than 1J times the pressure at which it is proposed to work 
such boiler. That an Inspector of Mines may, if he think fit, cause a boiler to he tested 
to twice the pressure; the Inspector after examination to give a certificate stating—(1) 
that every such boiler has been examined ; (2) the pressure to which it has been 
subjected ; and (3) the working pressure of steam which such boiler shall be allowed to 
carry. 
7. That two engine-drivers ho present at the engine when men are being lowered or raised. 
8. That the burden of proving that any person is not under the age prescribed by rule 31 of 
section 8 lie upon the mining manager of the company employing such person. 
C. W. LANGTREE, 
Acting Secretary for Mines and Water Supply. 
