US 8,616,379 B2Granted

Removable support legs for use with gold prospecting sluice

AssigneeLarry A. Alderson

InventorsLarry Allen Alderson, Peggy I. Alderson

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A portable device for use in the efficient extraction of gold from other materials commonly found in placer deposits of gravel, sand and etc. This is accomplished by utilizing two sub-assemblies easily attached to existing gold recovery equipment such as the common gold sluice and etc. This is accomplished by utilizing four sub-assemblies. Two on opposite sides and also two on opposite ends of the sluice tray. Each sub-assembly consists of a side bracket 14 and leg socket 18, which are conjoined by means of leg socket retaining fasteners 32. These are in turn are attached to cross brace 20 by means of side bracket positioning screws 28. Two sub-assemblies are attached to each other on opposite sides of the sluice tray and conjoined by means of shoulder bolt 22, washer 24 and retaining nut 26. After secure attachment of the two opposite sub-assemblies the legs are inserted into leg socket 18 and held in place by locking screw 16. These same actions are then performed on the opposite end of the gold sluice. When all sub-assemblies are in place the gold sluice is placed in position and final adjustments are made to each legs so that optimum gold sluice angle is achieved. Once initial installation has been made easy removal of the embodiments is accomplished by loosening retaining nut 26 allowing each sub-assembly to rotate and move away from each other thereby allowing removal of the entire embodiment. If desired by the prospector only the legs 12 may be removed and the rest of the embodiments left in place for easy transportation and storage.

A new and novel portable prospecting device comprising:

a support system consisting of a plurality of identical support assemblies for easy attachment to opposite ends of a variety of sluice box designs;
whereas
said support system to include features allowing infinite adjustments bilaterally to compensate for varying terrain conditions as well as ability to adjust for optimum operating incline of said sluice box;
whereas
each said support system consists of two sub-assemblies;
whereas
each said subassembly, consisting of a vertical side bracket, cross brace, leg socket, leg, a plurality of vertical side bracket positioning screws, shoulder bolt, washer, wing nut and leg locking screw;
whereas
each said subassembly, is positioned and retained onto said sluice box by means of an inwardly formed lip located at uppermost edge of said vertical side bracket and hooked over upper most vertical edge of said sluice box side wall;
whereas
each said leg socket to be attached to exterior surface of said side bracket;
and
each said vertical side bracket to be held in position against outside vertical side wall of said sluice box by means of said cross brace which is attached to said vertical side bracket by insertion of a plurality of side bracket positioning screws through parallel elongated slots in said vertical side bracket and threaded into said side bracket positioning screw captive nuts located in downturned vertical short side of said cross brace and on same axis on said cross brace;
whereas
said parallel elongated slots located vertically in said vertical side bracket to allow for vertical adjustment, so as to adapt to said variety of sluice box side wall and bottom designs and dimensions;
whereas
two of said subassemblies mated with each other across external bottom planer surface of said sluice box, with first said sub-assembly positioned 180 degrees from second said sub-assembly on same axis and overlapping planes and co-joined by insertion of said shoulder bolt, downwardly and vertically through centrally positioned and commonly aligned elongated slots and retained by said washer and wingnut;
whereas
said support sub-assemblies, when adjusted vertically and horizontally inward and against said sluice box sides and bottom and are retained by tightening said side bracket positioning screws and said shoulder bolt, washer and wing nut;
and
inserting said legs into and through said leg sockets and positioned with said leg locking screws;
whereas
two said support systems when attached to opposing ends of said sluice box's gives the user said infinite bilateral adjustment thereof.

20 more elements

Facts

Application

12/931,010Filed 21 Jan 2011 · us provisional application

Priority

1 Feb 2010

Published

US 2011/0186486 A14 Aug 2011

Granted

31 Dec 2013

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B03B 5/00
Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials
B03B 5/26
Using shaken, pulsated or stirred beds as the principal means of separation: in sluices
B03B
Separating solid materials using liquids or using pneumatic tables or jigs

Abstract

Claims1