Magnetic separating conveyor output roll

Abstract

A magnetic separating conveyor output roll including a first plurality of magnetic rings, each of such magnetic rings having radially inner and radially outer ends, each such magnetic ring having annular north and south poles respectively positioned at its radially inner and radially outer ends; and including a second plurality of magnetic rings having radially inner and radially outer ends, each such magnetic ring having annular north and south poles respectively positioned at its radially outer and radially inner ends; wherein the first and second pluralities of magnetic rings are stacked in an alternating series along a rotation axis; wherein each magnetic ring's radial cross section is rectangular; wherein each magnetic ring includes a circumferential array of radially extending seams, the roll incorporating a plurality of adhesive bonds residing within such seams; the roll further incorporating magnetic armature effect resisting gaps between adjacent pairs of the magnetic rings.

Claims

1. A magnetic separating conveyor output roll comprising: (a) a plurality of radial polarity magnetic rings, each magnetic ring among the plurality of radial polarity magnetic rings having a radially outer north pole having axial and oppositely axial ends; (b) a plurality of oppositely radial polarity magnetic rings, each magnetic ring among the plurality of oppositely radial polarity magnetic rings having a radially outer south pole having axial and oppositely axial ends, wherein the radial polarity and oppositely radial polarity magnetic rings are stacked in an alternating series along a rotation axis; and (c) a plurality of magnetic strength preserving spacers, each spacer among the plurality of magnetic strength preserving spacers having a radially outer face having axial and oppositely axial ends, wherein the axial end of said each spacer's radially outer face abuts the oppositely axial end of the radially outer north pole of one of the radial polarity magnetic rings, wherein the oppositely axial end of said each spacer's radially outer face abuts the axial end of the radially outer south pole of one of the oppositely radial polarity magnetic rings, said each spacer being non-magnetic at such abutting positions, wherein each magnetic ring's radial cross section is rectangular, and wherein each magnetic ring is segmented by a circumferential array of radially extending seams, and further comprising a first plurality of adhesive bonds, each such bond residing at one of said seams, wherein each seam among the circumferential array of radially extending seams extends from a radially inner end of one of the magnetic rings to said one of the magnetic ring's radially outer end.

2. The magnetic separating conveyor output roll of claim 1 further comprising an armaturing substrate, said substrate radially inwardly underlying the magnetic rings' radially inner ends.

3. The magnetic separating conveyor output roll of claim 2 further comprising a second plurality of adhesive bonds, each such bond joining one of the magnetic rings with one of the spacers.

4. The magnetic separating conveyor output roll of claim 3 wherein each magnetic strength preserving spacer comprises a non-magnetic ring.

5. The magnetic separating conveyor output roll of claim 4 wherein the armaturing substrate is composed of iron or mild steel.

6. The magnetic separating conveyor output roll of claim 5 wherein each magnetic strength preserving spacer is composed of aluminum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive magnetic separating conveyor output roll.

(2) FIG. 2 is a magnified view of a portion of the structure of FIG. 1, as indicated in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a segment of one of the magnetic rings of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective view of the structure depicted in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a segment of another magnetic ring component of the FIG. 1 structure.

(6) FIG. 6 is an alternative perspective view of the structure of FIG. 5.

(7) FIG. 7 shows in exploded view pairs of magnetic rings and non-magnetic spacer ring components of the FIG. 1 structure.

(8) FIG. 8 redepicts the structure of FIG. 1, the view additionally showing continuous loop belt and collection bin components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(9) Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Drawing FIGS. 1 and 7, a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive magnetic separating conveyor output roll is referred to generally by Reference Arrow 1. The roll 1 preferably comprises a first plurality of magnetic rings which are referred to generally by Reference Arrows 2. In the exemplary roll 1 of Drawing FIG. 1, the first plurality of magnetic rings 2 includes five of such rings. Each of the first magnetic rings 2 has a radially inner end 10 and has a radially outer end 8. The north pole N of each of the magnetic rings 2 is preferably annular or completely circumferential, such pole residing at the ring's radially outer end 8. Correspondingly, the south poles S of the magnetic rings 2 are similarly annular or completely circumferential, such south poles residing at the radially inner ends 10 of such rings.

(10) A further structural component of the instant inventive magnetic separating conveyor output roll 1 comprises a second plurality of magnetic rings which are referred to generally by Reference Arrows 4. In the exemplary roll 1 of Drawing FIG. 1, four of such rings 4 are provided. Each second ring 4 is preferably configured substantially identically with the first rings 2, with the exception that the north poles of the second rings 4 reside at such rings' radially inner ends, their south poles residing at their radially outer ends.

(11) As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 7, the first plurality of magnetic rings 2 and the second plurality of magnetic rings 4 are stacked in series along a rotation axis 30, such series preferably being arranged in an alternating sequence. Adoption of the instant invention's preferred alternating polarity magnetic ring arrangement assures that each magnetic ring is axially adjacent to either a pair of rings which are an opposite of its type or is adjacent to one of such rings.

(12) In use of the instant inventive roll 1, referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, a continuous loop conveyor belt 42 extends over the forward 180? surface of the roll 1, such belt semi-circularly covering such roll from a vertically upward or twelve o'clock position to a vertically downward or six o'clock position. Source materials conveyed upon the upper surface of the upper flight of the belt 42 may, for example, include stainless steel screws 44, multiple items of non-ferrous and non-electrically conductive debris 50, aluminum screws 46, and brass screws 48. Provided that the magnetic rings 2 and 4 are composed of neodymium iron boron, samarium cobalt, aluminum nickel cobalt, iron oxide ceramic, or ferrite ceramic materials, the stainless steel screws may be effectively extracted from the source materials via the rings' magnetic strength and attraction. The exit trajectories of such screws 44 are advantageously directed rearwardly, falling into collection bin 52. The non-ferrous and non-electrically conductive component of the source materials 50 advantageously falls along exit trajectories directed downwardly from the forward aspect of the roll 1, causing such materials to collect within a forward bin 54. The exit trajectories of such materials 50 are not altered or skewed by the magnetic character of the roll 1 because such materials have a very low magnetic susceptibility. Such trajectories also are left unaltered via Lenz effects and electro-magnetic induction because such materials have a high electrical resistance.

(13) The exclusive radial alignments of the polar axes of the roll 1 assure that each north to south looping line of magnetic flux 40 resides within a plane 41 which also includes the roll's 15 rotation axis 30. As a result of such axial plane orientations of the magnetic flux 40, Lenz effect generated force vectors applicable to electrically conductive items (e.g., screws 46,48) moving within and relative to such flux 40 point substantially exclusively within such axial planes 41. Accordingly, in 20 operation of the instant invention, Lenz effects imposed upon the non-ferrous electrically conductive screws 46,48 exclusively skew those screws' exit trajectories in the axial direction or leftwardly and rightwardly, with little or no skewing in the rearward direction. Screws 46,48 advantageously fall into collection bin 54 instead of into bin 52. Accordingly, the magnetic rolls' creation and facilitation of such axial plane oriented magnetic flux lines 40 prevents fouling of the stainless steel extract collected within bin 52.

(14) Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1-6, the pluralities of magnetic rings 2 and 4 are preferably segmented by circumferential arrays of radially extending seams 26. Adhesive bonds or bonding matrices of epoxy or cyanoacrylate based adhesive 27 are preferably interposed at such segmenting seams 26 in order to hold the rings' separate magnet segments 6 and 14 in their magnetic ring configurations. As shown in FIG. 3, each segment 6 of the first magnetic rings 2 has an convexly curved north pole outer face 8s, and has a concavely curved south pole inner face 10s. Conversely, each of the segments 14 of the second rings 4 has a convex south pole outer face 16s, and has a concave north pole inner face 18s.

(15) Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, a further structural component of the instant inventive roll 1 comprises a plurality of magnetic armaturing effect resisting spaces between the magnetic rings. If the axial and oppositely axial faces of FIG. 7's rings 2 and 4 were to directly contact each other, magnetic armaturing of those rings' closely adjacent north and south poles would occur, undesirably diminishing the magnetic strength of the roll. To prevent such magnetic armaturing resisting gaps or spaces are interposed between the magnetic rings' axial and oppositely axial faces. Such magnetic armature effect avoiding gaps 25 are preferably established by magnetically transparent or non-magnetic spacer rings 24 which are interposed between the rings 2 and 4. In the preferred embodiment, such spacer rings 24 are composed of aluminum.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, a further structural component of the instant inventive roll 1 comprises a plurality of magnetic armaturing effect resisting gaps 25. If the axial and oppositely axial faces of FIG. 7's rings 2 and 4 were to directly contact each other, magnetic armaturing of those rings' closely adjacent north and south poles would occur, undesirably diminishing the magnetic strength of the roll. To prevent such magnetic armaturing, gaps or spaces 25 are interposed between the magnetic rings' axial and oppositely axial faces. Such magnetic armature effect avoiding gaps 25 are preferably established by magnetically transparent or non-magnetic spacer rings 24 which are interposed between the rings 2 and 4. In the preferred embodiment, such spacer rings 25 are composed of aluminum.

(17) While axial armaturing of magnetic flux at the radially outer ends of the magnetic rings 2 and 4 is desirably avoided to prevent dissipation of the rolls' magnetic strength, magnetic armaturing at the radially inner ends of such magnetic rings is preferably established in order to enhance the roll's magnetic strength. To facilitate radially inner magnetic armaturing, a mild steel or iron sleeve or substrate 29 is preferably provided, such substrate 29 overlying the roll's cylindrical core 31 and immediately underlying the radially inner ends of the magnetic rings 2 and 4.

(18) The magnetic rings 2 and 4 are inherently held in the alternating series of FIG. 1 via the rings' magnetic attraction. However, in the preferred embodiment the roll's rigidity and integrity is further secured by provision of a second plurality of adhesive bonds 28, each such bond securing one of the magnetic rings to one of the spacer rings 24.

(19) While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications to the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.