US4187170A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Magnetic techniques for separating non-magnetic materials
Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA Inc
•
Filing: 1978-01-17
•
Granted: 1980-02-05
•
Expires: 1998-01-17
Abstract
Abstract A process for magnetically separating non-magnetic material from a mixture by combining the mixture with a magnetizing solution containing the salt of a magnetic element. The magnetic atoms attach to available sites on the molecules of the non-magnetic material so as to develop in that material a positive susceptibility. Thus the material is responsive to the influence of a magnetic field to move the material to a region where it can be analyzed or recovered. Materials with low positive or negative susceptibilities are separated by suspending them in a magnetic salt solution which when subjected to the attraction of a magnetic field develops a differential buoyancy force, pushing the diamagnetic or weak paramagnetic material strongly away from the magnet. Disclosed are solutions of ferric chloride, manganese chloride, erbium chloride, dysprosium chloride, terbium chloride, and holmium chloride.
Inventors
- 👤 Vernon C. Westcott
- 👤 John P. Bowen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/72; G01N27/74; B; B03; B03C; B03C1/00; B03C1/005; B03C1/01; B03C1/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A process for separating a material of interest from a background substance by exposing a mixture thereof to a magnetic field, and wherein said material of interest is essentially non-magnetic and thus by itself not sufficiently responsive to the magnetic field to effect separation from said background substance, the method comprising the steps of: combining said material with a solution of magnetic atoms to form a composite sample solution; and transporting said composite sample solution through a magnetic field to develop a force on said material through magnetic influence on the atoms of said solution, said force serving to move said material to a region where it is recoverable from said background substance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A process for separating a material of interest from a background substance by exposing a mixture thereof to a magnetic field, and wherein said material of interest is essentially non-magnetic and thus by itself not sufficiently responsive to the magnetic field to effect separation from said background substance, the method comprising the steps of: combining said material with a solution of magnetic atoms to form a composite sample solution; and transporting said composite sample solution through a magnetic field to develop a force on said material through magnetic influence on the atoms of said solution, said force serving to move said material to a region where it is recoverable from said background substance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said material is combined with an aqueous solution of a salt of the magnetic to form said composite sample solution atoms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said salt solution is ferric chloride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said salt solution is manganese chloride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said salt solution is erbium chloride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said salt solution is dysprosium chloride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said solution is terbium chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said salt solution is holmium chloride.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said magnetic field has a gradient in a predetermined direction providing a region of most intense field strength, said salt solution being more strongly attracted by said magnetic field than is said material of interest, whereby a differential force is developed tending to push said material away from the region of most intense field strength.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said material is diamagnetic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said salt solution is ferric chloride.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said salt solution is manganese chloride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9, including the step of adding to said solution an agent tending to suppress crystallization of the salt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said agent is photographic gelatin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said solution causes an initially non-magnetic material to become magnetic whereby said material will be drawn towards an increasing magnetic field.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said material is given a positive susceptibility greater than that of the solution.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US861782A
Cited
US2398725A
Cited
US3483969A
Cited
US3843540A
Cited
US3926789A
Cited
US3929627A
Cited
US3970518A
Cited
US4018886A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-02-04 | 1983-08-06 | 1984-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-02-04 | 1987-08-06 | 1988-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-02-04 | 1991-08-06 | 1992-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |