US3926792A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for automatically separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances
Assignee: Recon Corp
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Filing: 1973-08-23
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Granted: 1975-12-16
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Expires: 1993-08-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for automatically separating magnetic substances such as tableware from non-magnetic substances such as food and paper waste having a frame, pulleys mounted for rotation near opposite ends of the frame, an endless conveyor belt mounted over and carried by the pulleys on which unseparated substances may be placed and magnetic means mounted in one of the pulleys to establish a strong magnetic field through the conveyor belt thereby attracting and separating the magnetic substances from the non-magnetic substances and causing them to be retained adjacent the conveyor belt despite the removal of the nonmagnetic substances from the conveyor belt by gravity as it moves around the pulley. A number of inductor bars placed adjacent the pulley containing the magnetic means and near the underside of the belt to develop induced magnetic fields which attract the magnetic substances but cooperate with one or more circuit shunt bars carried on the endless conveyor belt at spaced distances along it to automatically release these substances as the circuit shunt bars come adjacent the inductor bars and shunt or short circuit the magnetic field from these substances. An apparatus for automatically separating magnetic and nonmagnetic substances having at least two endless conveyor belts supported at their opposite ends on upper and lower pulleys, respectively, disposed in vertical relationship, in which one of the upper pulleys contains magnetic means of sufficient strength to attract magnetic substances moving on the lower conveyor belt below that pulley to separate such substances from non-magnetic substances on that belt.
Inventors
- 👤 J Philip Buford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:42
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03C; B03C1/00; B03C1/02; B03C1/16; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
308 words
An apparatus for separating magnetic substances from non-magnetic substances including frame means, pulley means mounted on said frame means and rotable relative thereto, endless conveying means disposed between and carried by said pulley means, said conveying means being movable relative to said frame means when said pulley means are rotated, drive means connected to at least one of said pulley means to rotate said pulley means and thereby move said conveying means, and magnet means associated with at least one of said pulley means and disposed with respect to said conveying means to establish a magnetic field through said conveying means about said one of said pulley means which positively attracts said magnetic substances placed on said endless conveying means and maintains said magnetic substances adjacent said conveying means for a desired distance of travel of said conveying means relative to said frame to thereby separate said magnetic substances from any non-magnetic substances placed adjacent said conveying means, inductor means mounted in a stationary position relative to said frame adJacent said pulley means associated with said magnet means and disposed near the point relative to said frame means at which release of said magnetic substances is desired, and circuit shunt means carried on said endless conveying means for movement therewith relative to said frame, said circuit shunt means being spaced along the length of said endless conveying means, said magnetic substances being held adjacent said endless conveying means as said conveying means is moved past said magnet means and over said inductor means by the magnetic field exerted through said conveying means directly by said magnet means and inductively by said inductor means until said circuit shunt means is moved adjacent said inductor means to shunt the magnetic field into said shunt means and keep it momentarily thereby releasing said magnetic substances from adjacent said endless conveying means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
308 words
An apparatus for separating magnetic substances from non-magnetic substances including frame means, pulley means mounted on said frame means and rotable relative thereto, endless conveying means disposed between and carried by said pulley means, said conveying means being movable relative to said frame means when said pulley means are rotated, drive means connected to at least one of said pulley means to rotate said pulley means and thereby move said conveying means, and magnet means associated with at least one of said pulley means and disposed with respect to said conveying means to establish a magnetic field through said conveying means about said one of said pulley means which positively attracts said magnetic substances placed on said endless conveying means and maintains said magnetic substances adjacent said conveying means for a desired distance of travel of said conveying means relative to said frame to thereby separate said magnetic substances from any non-magnetic substances placed adjacent said conveying means, inductor means mounted in a stationary position relative to said frame adJacent said pulley means associated with said magnet means and disposed near the point relative to said frame means at which release of said magnetic substances is desired, and circuit shunt means carried on said endless conveying means for movement therewith relative to said frame, said circuit shunt means being spaced along the length of said endless conveying means, said magnetic substances being held adjacent said endless conveying means as said conveying means is moved past said magnet means and over said inductor means by the magnetic field exerted through said conveying means directly by said magnet means and inductively by said inductor means until said circuit shunt means is moved adjacent said inductor means to shunt the magnetic field into said shunt means and keep it momentarily thereby releasing said magnetic substances from adjacent said endless conveying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
130 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said pulley means includes at least two pulleys mounted near opposite ends of an elongated frame, each of said pulleys having a shaft forming a central axis around which said pulley rotates relative to said frame and an outer shell mounted in radially spaced relationship to said shaft and in contact with a portion of said conveying means to support said conveying means, one of said pulleys having a number of magnets mounted on said shaft within said shell with like poles of said magnets being axially adjacent and separated by a magnetic material to form a strong, permanent magnetic core which emits a radially extending magnetic field through said shell and said endless conveying means about the circumference of said pulley.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
143 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein two pulleys are mounted adjacent one another near one end of said frame means, each of said pulleys carrying and supporting a portion of said endless conveying means, one of said pulleys having a smaller diameter than the other of said pulleys, said two pulley means being arranged relative to said frame to allow said endless conveying means to be extended outwardly into a space lesser in dimension than the diameter of said larger diameter pulley, said larger diameter pulley having said magnet means associated therewith, said smaller diameter pulley having a central core having spaced inductor rings capable of having magnetism induced therein by the disposition of said magnet means in close association therewith such that said smaller diameter pulley will emit an induced magnetic field to attract magnetic substances placed on said endless conveying means.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
424 words
An apparatus for separating magnetically attracted substances, such as tableware and the like, from non-magnetic substances, such as food and paper waste, including lower conveying means having an endless lower conveyor belt disposed between and carried by lower pulley means supported on a lower frame, said lower pulley means being rotatable relative to said lower frame to move said lower conveyor belt relative to said lower frame, upper conveyor means having an endless upper conveyor belt disposed between and carried by upper pulley means mounted on an upper frame, said upper pulley means being rotatable relative to said upper frame to move said upper conveyor belt relative to said upper frame, said upper conveying means having magnet means associated with at least one of said upper pulley means and arranged to exert a radially extending magnetic field through said upper conveyor belt of sufficient strength to attract magnetic substances to said upper conveyor belt, said upper conveying means being maintained in spaced relationship above said lower conveying means and disposed relative to said lower conveying means such that said upper pulley means having said magnet means cooperatively associated therewith is positioned directly above a portion of said lower conveyor belt such that when magnetic and non-magnetic substances disposed on said lower conveying means are carried under said magnet means associated with said upper pulley means, said magnetic substances will be attracted adjacent said upper conveyor belt by the magnetic field exerted therethrough and then carried by said upper conveying means to a desired point of deposit and thereby separated from the non-magnetic substances disposed on said lower conveying means, inductor means mounted in a stationary position relative to said upper frame adjacent said upper pulley means associated with said magnet means and disposed near the point relative to said upper frame means at which release of said magnetic substances is desired, and circuit shunt means carried on said upper conveying belt for movement therewith relative to said upper frame, said circuit shunt means being spaced along the length of said upper conveying belt, said magnetic substances being held adjacent said upper conveying belt as said conveying belt is moved past said magnet means and over said inductor means by the magnetic field exerted through said upper conveying belt directly by said magnet means and inductively by said inductor means until said circuit shunt means is moved adjacent said inductor means to shunt the magnetic field into said shunt means and keep it momentarily thereby releasing said magnetic substances from adjacent said upper conveying belt
Claim 6
Independent Claim
424 words
An apparatus for separating magnetically attracted substances, such as tableware and the like, from non-magnetic substances, such as food and paper waste, including lower conveying means having an endless lower conveyor belt disposed between and carried by lower pulley means supported on a lower frame, said lower pulley means being rotatable relative to said lower frame to move said lower conveyor belt relative to said lower frame, upper conveyor means having an endless upper conveyor belt disposed between and carried by upper pulley means mounted on an upper frame, said upper pulley means being rotatable relative to said upper frame to move said upper conveyor belt relative to said upper frame, said upper conveying means having magnet means associated with at least one of said upper pulley means and arranged to exert a radially extending magnetic field through said upper conveyor belt of sufficient strength to attract magnetic substances to said upper conveyor belt, said upper conveying means being maintained in spaced relationship above said lower conveying means and disposed relative to said lower conveying means such that said upper pulley means having said magnet means cooperatively associated therewith is positioned directly above a portion of said lower conveyor belt such that when magnetic and non-magnetic substances disposed on said lower conveying means are carried under said magnet means associated with said upper pulley means, said magnetic substances will be attracted adjacent said upper conveyor belt by the magnetic field exerted therethrough and then carried by said upper conveying means to a desired point of deposit and thereby separated from the non-magnetic substances disposed on said lower conveying means, inductor means mounted in a stationary position relative to said upper frame adjacent said upper pulley means associated with said magnet means and disposed near the point relative to said upper frame means at which release of said magnetic substances is desired, and circuit shunt means carried on said upper conveying belt for movement therewith relative to said upper frame, said circuit shunt means being spaced along the length of said upper conveying belt, said magnetic substances being held adjacent said upper conveying belt as said conveying belt is moved past said magnet means and over said inductor means by the magnetic field exerted through said upper conveying belt directly by said magnet means and inductively by said inductor means until said circuit shunt means is moved adjacent said inductor means to shunt the magnetic field into said shunt means and keep it momentarily thereby releasing said magnetic substances from adjacent said upper conveying belt
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
129 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said upper pulley means includes at least two pulleys mounted near opposite ends of an elongated upper frame, each of said pulleys having a shaft forming a central axis around which each of said pulleys rotates relative to said frame and an outer shell mounted in radially spaced relationship to said shaft and in contact with a portion of said upper conveyor belt to support said conveyor belt, one of said pulleys having a number of magnets mounted on said shaft within said shell with like poles of said magnets being axially adjacent and separated by a magnetic material to form a strong, permanent magnetic core which emits a radially extending magnetic field through said shell and said endless conveyor belt.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances comprising: conveying means; input means for bringing a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic substances adjacent said conveying means; drive means for causing said conveying means to move relative to said input means; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveying means to draw the magnetic substances through the nonmagnetic substances and to hold the magnetic substances to said conveying means for a first length of travel thereof; second magnetic means positioned adjacent said conveying means near the end of said first length of travel to hold the magnetic substances to said conveying means for a second length of travel thereof beyond said first length, the positioning of said second magnetic means being independent of the movement of said conveying means; and release means for periodically demagnetizing at least a portion of said second magnetic means in order to produce a positive discharge of the magnetic substances from said conveyor belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic substances comprising: conveying means; input means for bringing a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic substances adjacent said conveying means; drive means for causing said conveying means to move relative to said input means; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveying means to draw the magnetic substances through the nonmagnetic substances and to hold the magnetic substances to said conveying means for a first length of travel thereof; second magnetic means positioned adjacent said conveying means near the end of said first length of travel to hold the magnetic substances to said conveying means for a second length of travel thereof beyond said first length, the positioning of said second magnetic means being independent of the movement of said conveying means; and release means for periodically demagnetizing at least a portion of said second magnetic means in order to produce a positive discharge of the magnetic substances from said conveyor belt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein: said first magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet; said second magnetic means comprises a plurality of inductor bars which are magnetically induced by said permanent magnet; and said release means comprises at least one shunt bar affixed to said conveying means to periodically shunt said inductor bars, thereby causing the magnetic substances to be released from the conveying means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein: said conveying means is an endless conveyor belt that passes over a pulley; said first magnetic means holds the magnetic substances to said conveyor belt as it passes over said pulley, while the non-magnetic substances are allowed to fall under the force of gravity; and said second magnetic means holds the magnetic substances to said conveyor belt beyond the point at which it leaves said pulley.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein: said first magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet; said second magnetic means comprises a plurality of inductor bars which are magnetically induced by said permanent magnet; and said release means comprises at least one shunt bar connected to said conveyor belt to periodically shunt said inductor bars, thereby causing the magnetic substances to be released to fall under force of gravity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising a second pulley having a smaller diameter than said pulley and spaced outwardly therefrom with said conveyor belt passing thereover, said second pulley having a central core with spaced inductor rings which are magnetically induced by said permanent magnet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein: said conveying means is a conveyor belt; and said input means comprises a second conveyor belt passing under said conveyor belt, said first magnetic means causing the magnetic substances on said second conveyor belt to be transferred to said conveyor belt while the non-magnetic substances remain on said second conveyor belt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
115 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein: said conveyor belt passes upward over a pulley; said first magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet that holds the magnetic substances to said conveyor belt as it passes over said pulley; said second magnetic means comprises a plurality of inductor bars which are magnetically induced by said permanent magnet to produce a magnetic field that causes the magnetic substances to be conveyed past the top of said pulley; and said release means comprises at least one shunt bar connected to said conveyor belt to periodically shunt said inductor bars, thereby causing the magnetic substances to be released to be transported by said conveyor belt to a desired repository.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic tableware from garbage comprising: a conveyor belt; input means for depositing a mixture of tableware and garbage on said conveyor belt; a pulley; drive means for causing said conveyor belt with the tableware and garbage on it to move around said pulley; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveyor belt to draw the tableware through the garbage and to hold the tableware to said conveyor belt while said conveyor belt is moving around said pulley, the garbage being allowed to fall from said conveyor belt under the force of gravity; second magnetic means positioned adjacent said conveyor belt beyond the tangent point at which said conveyor belt separates from said pulley to hold the tableware to said conveyor belt after said conveyor belt has moved around said pulley, the positioning of said second magnetic means being independent of the movement of said conveyor belt; and release means for periodically demagnetizing at least a portion of said second magnetic means in order to produce a positive discharge of tableware from said conveyor belt.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic tableware from garbage comprising: a conveyor belt; input means for depositing a mixture of tableware and garbage on said conveyor belt; a pulley; drive means for causing said conveyor belt with the tableware and garbage on it to move around said pulley; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveyor belt to draw the tableware through the garbage and to hold the tableware to said conveyor belt while said conveyor belt is moving around said pulley, the garbage being allowed to fall from said conveyor belt under the force of gravity; second magnetic means positioned adjacent said conveyor belt beyond the tangent point at which said conveyor belt separates from said pulley to hold the tableware to said conveyor belt after said conveyor belt has moved around said pulley, the positioning of said second magnetic means being independent of the movement of said conveyor belt; and release means for periodically demagnetizing at least a portion of said second magnetic means in order to produce a positive discharge of tableware from said conveyor belt.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first magnetic means comprises a permanent magnet arrangement located in said pulley to produce a radial magnetic field.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second magnetic means comprises a plurality of inductor bars which are magnetically induced by said first magnetic means to produce a magnetic field that maintains said tableware on said conveyor belt after it passes the bottom of said pulley.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said release means comprises at least one shunt bar connected to said conveyor belt to periodically shunt said inductor bars, thereby releasing the tableware to fall under the force of gravity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein: said conveyor belt is an endless conveyor belt that passes between said pulley and a second pulley; and said input means is a hopper for depositing the mixture of tableware and garbage on the top surface of said endless conveyor belt.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic tablewarE from garbage comprising: conveying means; input means for bringing a mixture of tableware and garbage adjacent said conveying means; drive means for causing said conveying means to move relative to said input means; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveying means to draw the tableware through the garbage and to hold the tableware to said conveying means for a first length of travel thereof; and magnetic induction means positioned adjacent said conveying means near the end of said first length of travel, said magnetic induction means being separate from and magnetically induced by said first magnetic means to hold the tableware to said conveying means for a second length of travel beyond said first length of travel, the positioning of said magnetic induction means being independent of the movement of said conveying means and a receptacle adjacent said magnetic induction means to receive the tableware from said conveying means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for separating magnetic tablewarE from garbage comprising: conveying means; input means for bringing a mixture of tableware and garbage adjacent said conveying means; drive means for causing said conveying means to move relative to said input means; first magnetic means producing a magnetic field of sufficiently high intensity at a distance from said conveying means to draw the tableware through the garbage and to hold the tableware to said conveying means for a first length of travel thereof; and magnetic induction means positioned adjacent said conveying means near the end of said first length of travel, said magnetic induction means being separate from and magnetically induced by said first magnetic means to hold the tableware to said conveying means for a second length of travel beyond said first length of travel, the positioning of said magnetic induction means being independent of the movement of said conveying means and a receptacle adjacent said magnetic induction means to receive the tableware from said conveying means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein: said conveying means is a conveyor belt that passes over a pulley; said first magnetic means is associated with said pulley to hold the tableware to said conveyor belt as it passes over said pulley; and said second magnetic means comprises inductor bars extending beyond the tangent point between said pulley and said conveyor belt at the bottom of said pulley.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
161 words
A METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY SEPARATING MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTED, RESUABLE TABLEWARE AND THE LIKE, FROM NON-MAGNETIC FOOD AND PAPER WASTE IN A QUICK AND EFFICIENT MANNER INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: PLACING THE UNSEPARATED TABLEWARE AND FOOD AND PAPER WASTE ON A CONVEYOR MEANS; ESTABILIZHING A MAGNETIC FIELD BY MAGNETIC MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO RADIATE AND MANGETIC FIELD GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY TO THE SURFACE OOF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS; MOVING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID UNSEPARATED TABLEWARE AND WASTE CARRIED THEREON INTO SAID MAGNETIC FIELD SUCH THAT SAID TABLEWARE IS POSITIVELY ATTRACTED TOWARD SAID MAGNET MEANS AND THEREBY MAGNETICALLY SEPARATED FROM SAID NONMAGNETIC SUBSTANCES; EXTENDING SAID MAGNETIC FIELD BY MAGNETICALLY INDUCED MEANS IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT SAID TABLEWARE BEYOND THE POINT TO WHICH IT WOULD BE TRANSPORTED BY THE EFFECTS OF SAID MAGNET MEANS ALONE; AND AUTOMATICALLY SHUNTING THE EXTENDED MAGNEETIC FIELD THROUGH KEEPER MEANS PERIODICALLY BROUGHT ADJACENT SAID INDUCED MEANS, SUCH THAT SAID TABLEWARE IS THEREBY POSITIVELY RELEASED AT A DESIRED POINT.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
161 words
A METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY SEPARATING MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTED, RESUABLE TABLEWARE AND THE LIKE, FROM NON-MAGNETIC FOOD AND PAPER WASTE IN A QUICK AND EFFICIENT MANNER INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: PLACING THE UNSEPARATED TABLEWARE AND FOOD AND PAPER WASTE ON A CONVEYOR MEANS; ESTABILIZHING A MAGNETIC FIELD BY MAGNETIC MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO RADIATE AND MANGETIC FIELD GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY TO THE SURFACE OOF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS; MOVING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID UNSEPARATED TABLEWARE AND WASTE CARRIED THEREON INTO SAID MAGNETIC FIELD SUCH THAT SAID TABLEWARE IS POSITIVELY ATTRACTED TOWARD SAID MAGNET MEANS AND THEREBY MAGNETICALLY SEPARATED FROM SAID NONMAGNETIC SUBSTANCES; EXTENDING SAID MAGNETIC FIELD BY MAGNETICALLY INDUCED MEANS IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT SAID TABLEWARE BEYOND THE POINT TO WHICH IT WOULD BE TRANSPORTED BY THE EFFECTS OF SAID MAGNET MEANS ALONE; AND AUTOMATICALLY SHUNTING THE EXTENDED MAGNEETIC FIELD THROUGH KEEPER MEANS PERIODICALLY BROUGHT ADJACENT SAID INDUCED MEANS, SUCH THAT SAID TABLEWARE IS THEREBY POSITIVELY RELEASED AT A DESIRED POINT.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-15 | 1979-06-16 | 1979-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-15 | 1983-06-16 | 1983-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-15 | 1987-06-16 | 1987-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |