Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A magnetic proximity detector for ferrous metals comprising a housing, an assembly of magnets, at least one of which is movable, positioned within said housing, a switch, means connecting the movable magnet to the switch to change its position when the magnet moves, said movable magnet being biased to one position by the other magnets of said assembly and moving to its other position responsive to the presence of a ferrous metal within its effective sensitivity range, and means for focusing the flux of said magnets by changing the shape of their magnetic fields to change the effective sensitivity range which causes movement of said movable magnet responsive to the presence of a ferrous metal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A magnetic proximity detector for ferrous metals comprising a housing, an assembly of magnets, at least one of which is movable, positioned within said housing, a switch, means connecting the movable magnet to the switch to change its position when the magnet moves, said movable magnet being biased to one position by the other magnets of said assembly and moving to its other position responsive to the presence of a ferrous metal within its effective sensitivity range, and means for focusing the flux of said magnets by changing the shape of their magnetic fields to change the effective sensitivity range which causes movement of said movable magnet responsive to the presence of a ferrous metal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 1 wherein, one of said magnets of said assembly is fixed within said housing and two of said magnets are movable with respect to said fixed magnet, and means for connecting the two movable magnets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 2 wherein, said fixed magnet is tubular with a central opening therethrough, and said connecting means extends through the central opening with a movable magnet positioned within the housing on each end of said fixed magnet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 1 wherein said focusing means includes an annular magnet surrounding said housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 4 including means coacting with said annular magnet to adjust its position axially with respect to said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 5 wherein, said housing includes threads along its exterior, and said adjusting means includes at least one member threaded to the exterior of said housing and held against said annular magnet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 6 wherein said adjusting means includes a first nut threaded onto said external housing threads, and a second nut threaded onto said external housing threads, said annular magnet being positioned between said first and second nuts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
139 words
A magnetic proximity detector according to claim 2 wherein one of said movable magnets is positioned within said housing at one end of said fixed magnet and has its poles arranged with respect to the poles of the fixed magnet so that it is attracted to the fixed magnet, the other of said movable magnets is positioned within said housing at the other end of said fixed magnet and has its poles arranged with respect to the poles of the fixed magnet so that it is repelled by the fixed magnet, the position of said movable magnets being biased in one direction when not detecting the presence of a ferrous metal and the movable magnets moving from said biased position toward a ferrous metal which comes within the effective range of sensitivity of the detector to the ferrous metal.