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| A gold rocker box in use |
A gold rocker box is a device that efficiently recovers gold
from river sand and gravel that is capable of processing more gold per hour
then a gold pan. Its invention was during the Georgia Gold Rush that predated the California Gold Rush by several years. During the days of the
Forty-Niners the rocker box was considered more important then the gold
pan. It was also important during the
Klondike Goldrush because the miners were able to use the rocker box on higher
stream banks because it used far less water then the conventional gold pan.
The Gold Rocker Box was a slightly more complex way of
producing gold that could easily be built in the field by the average miner
from rough sawn lumber. It also had the
advantage of being usable by one man. It
was built in two parts; the upper part was a box that acted as a grizzly separating
the larger stones from the lower part where the smaller sand and gravel went to
be processed.
In essence the lower part was a sluice box from four to five
feet long, and about a foot wide. This
part of the box was equipped with a set of cleats along the bottom of the
sluice to catch the gold particles, and let the lighter load of gravel run out
the lower end of the sluice box as waste.
The upper part of the gold rocker was a shallow wooden box
with a one half inch screen that acted as a grizzly to remove the larger stones
from the gravel that was passed through it on the way to the sluice box. The miner discarded the larger stones, but
first examined them to be sure he was not throwing out any gold nuggets.
A piece of canvas that went from the back of the upper box
that was attached to the lower box assured that the gravel was properly
dispersed into the sluice box. This
device has survived the test of time as the big dredges often used a rocker box
to finish off the concentrate of gold and other stream heavies.
To build a rocker you start by building the upper box first
this is about eighteen inches by twelve inches in size, and about four inches
deep. Then a lower sluice box is
constructed that is from four to five feet long, a foot wide, and about four
inches deep. The upper box is attached
to the lower box with four one x twos that are about a foot long. A piece of canvas is attached to the rear of
the upper box, and is angled down to the lower box and attached at the point
where the upper box ends. The lower box
is equipped with a series of wooden cleats that catch the gold from the gravel
that is being passed through.
There is also some kind of a one x two attached to both of
the boxes so that the miner is able to rock the device back in forth sideways
while he is pouring water in through the upper box. The whole device is elevated from the ground
with a set of legs about four inches high that are attached to the sides of the
lower box. These legs are joined
together by a wooden frame that is attached to the bottom of the legs.
In use the upper box is filled with gravel by the miner,
then he pours water by the dipper full washing the gravel down into the lower
box. As he adds the water he rocks the
whole device back and forth so the gravel falling through the grizzly is spread
evenly in the lower box, and is thoroughly washed. The gold, if any, collects behind
the wooden cleats in
the bottom of the lower box to be removed after a large quantity of gravel has
passed through the device. The larger
stones that stay on top of the grizzly in the upper box are discarded, but
examined first so you don’t throw away any gold nuggets.
The rocker box finds many uses in prospecting as it is able
to separate any heavier material from lighter. It is used for the panning of platinum group
metals as well as the heavier gemstones like diamonds and sapphires.
References:
Build Your Own Gold Rocker Box Or Gold
Cradle, By Chris
Ralph, http://ezinearticles.com/?Build-Your-Own-Gold-Rocker-Box-Or-Gold-Cradle&id=1410815 
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