US3162296A

US3162296A - Conveyor for magnetic material

Info

Publication number: US3162296A
Application number: US229541A
Authority: US
Inventors: Iii Joseph W Leonard
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1962-10-10
Filing date: 1962-10-10
Publication date: 1964-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-22

Description

Dec. 22, 1964 J. WJLEONARD- m 3,162,296

' CONVEYOR FOR MAGNETIC MATERIAL Filed Oct. 10, 1962 //V VE/V TOR.

JOSEPH M. LEONARDZZZ Attorney United States Patent ()fi ice 3,162,296 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 Jersey Filed Oct. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 229,541 4 Claims. (Cl. 198-411) This invention relates to an improved conveyor for transporting particulate magnetic material.

Although the invention is not thus limited, my conveyor is particularly useful for handling magnetic particles used in a heavy medium minerals separation process. In this type of process magnetic particles (magnetite or ferrosilicon) are suspended in water to form a medium of specific gravity intermediate that of the values and tailing present in a mineral, such as ore or coal. The mineral is fed to the medium, where the lighter constituent floats and the heavier constituent sinks. Subsequently medium is drained and recovered from both the float and sink products. After draining, the products are washed with water and the Wash water treated in a magnetic separator and densifier to recover additional medium particles. Nevertheless some medium particles unavoid ably are lost and must be replaced as the process operates. It is of course essential to maintain the specific gravity of the medium at the proper value. Hence the rate at which replacement particles are added must be carefully controlled. An object of my invention is to provide an improved conveyor suited for carrying replacement magnetic medium particles at a controlled rate and without losses from storage to a sump or the like where the particles are added to a water suspension.

A further object is to provide an improved conveyor which includes a plurality of fixed magnets and movable rifiles located in a critical relation to enable the conveyor to transport magnetic particles at a controlled rate up an incline and discharge them without losses.

In the drawing:

The single figure is a side elevational view, partly diagrammatic and with parts broken away, of a conveyor constructed in accordance with my inventionv My conveyor includes an upwardly sloping stationary frame formed of a pair of parallel beams and a plurality of upstanding guide members 12 fixed at spaced locations to the beams. A series of uniformly spaced permanent magnets 13 are fixed to the beams and extend across the space therebetween. If the magnets do not brace the frame with suificient rigidity, I may also include transverse bracing between the two beams. It is also apparent I could use electromagnets. A longitudinally movable pan 14 constructed of stainless steel or other suitable nonmagnetic material rests on top of the magnets and extends the length of the frame. The upper face of the pan carries a series of transverse rifiles 15 of triangular cross section also constructed of nonmagnetic material. The rifiies correspond in number to the magnets and each has a face 15a which is perpendicular to the upper surface of the pan. Successive faces 15a are spaced apart the same distance as the magnets. A plurality of hood sections 16 of inverted U-shape in cross section and also of nonmagnetic material are rigidly attached to the side edges of the pan. The hood sections form a cover which is spaced above the rifiies.

A drive shaft 17 is journaled in bearings 18 mounted on beams 10 adjacent their upper ends. The drive shaft is connected to a suitable drive motor 19, and it carries a crank wheel 20. A connecting rod 21 is connected to wheel and to the uppermost hood section 16. Thus rotation of the drive shaft reciprocates the pan 14, rifiies 15 and hood section 16 back and forth along the beams 10 and magnets 13 between the guide members 12. The

parts are proportioned so that at the lower end of the path of movement of the pan each riffle face 15a overlies a magnet 13, and at the upper end of the movement each face 15a overlies the next magnet 13 thereabove.

In the illustration, the conveyor carries particulate magnetic material from a storage bin 22 to a sump 23. Particles discharge from the bin through an opening 24 in the cover and are received on upper face of pan 14. The magnets 13 hold the particles in small piles 25 in front of each perpendicular face 15a or ritfies 15. During the upstroke of the pan, each pile of particles advances to a position above the next higher magnet. During each downstroke, the respective magnets hold each pile while the rifiles pass beneath. In this manner the piles of particles advance step-by-step up the pan. At the top they discharge through a chute 26 formed integrally with the uppermost hood section. This chute is situated over the sump 23.

I can accurately control the rate at which the conveyor delivers particles by controlling the speed at which motor 1h moves the pan. The hood sections 16 cover the particles on the pan and thus effectively prevent losses.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A conveyor comprising a frame, a plurality of magnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a pan supported on said magnets for reciprocating movement relative thereto along a path lengthwise of said frame, a plurality of rifiles on the upper surface of said pan, said pan and rifiies being of nonmagnetic material, each of said rifiles having a face perpendicular to the upper surface of said pan, said faces being spaced apart at distances corresponding to the spacing between said magnets, and drive means operatively connected with said pan for moving the pan and riffies back and forth along said path, the perpendicular face of each riffle overlying a magnet at one end of said path and overlying the next magnet at the other end of said path.

2. A conveyor comprising an upwardly inclined frame, a plurality of magnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a pan supported on said magnets for reciprocating movement relative thereto along an inclined path lengthwise of said frame, a plurality of rifiles fixed to the upper surface of said pan, said pan and riffies being of nonmagnetic material, said rifiles being of triangular cross section and each having a face perpendicular to the surface of said pan, said faces being spaced apart at distances corresponding to the spacing between said magnets, and drive means operatively connected with said pan for moving the pan and rifiles back and forth along said path, the perpendicular face of each rifile overlying a magnet at the lower end of said path and overlying the next magnet thereabove at the upper end of said path.

3. A conveyor comprising an upwardly inclined frame, a plurality of magnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a plurality of upwardly extending guide members fixed to said frame, a pan supported on said magnets for reciprocating movement relative thereto along an inclined path between said guide members and lengthwise of said frame, a plurality of rifiles fixed to the upper surface of said pan, a cover fixed to said pan and spaced above said riflles, said pan, rifiies and cover being of nonmagnetic material, said riffies being of triangular cross section and each having a face perpendicular to the upper surface of said pan, said faces being spaced apart at distances corresponding to the spacing between said magnets, and drive means mounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pan for moving the pan s and rifiles back and forth along said path, the perpendic that face 6f each riffie overl ing a rnagnt at the lower end of said path and overlying the next magnet thereabove at the upper end of said path.

4. Aeo'nveyor comprising an up'vv'ardly inclined fr'ame,

a plurality of magnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a plurality of upwardly extending guide members fixed to said frame, a pan supported'on said magnets forrecipro'cating movement relative thereto spaced above' said rifiles, said pan, riffies and cover being of non-rnagr'letic material, said rifiles being'of triangular "cross 'sc'tion'and each having aface perpendicular to the upper surface of said pan, said fades being spaced apart at distances correspondin'g to the spacing between said magnets, means for feeding particulate magnetic material to the lov'ver end of said pan, a chute fixed to the upper end of said pan for discharging the material, and drive means mounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pan for moving the pan and rifiles back and forth along said path, the perpendicular face of each rifile overlying a magnet at the lower end of said path and overlying the next magnet thereabove' at the upper end of said path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 849,385 7 [Gibson j Apr. 9, 1907 2,592,010 C016 Apr. 8, 1952 3,033,369

Kragle May 8, 1962

Claims

1. A CONVEYOR COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF MAGNETS FIXED TO SAID FRAME AND SPACED LENGTHWISE THEREOF, A PAN SUPPORTED ON SAID MAGNETS FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ALONG A PATH LENGTHWISE OF SAID FRAME, A PLURALITY OF RIFFLES ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PAN, SAID PAN AND RIFFLES BEING OF NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID RIFFLES HAVING A FACE PERPENDICULAR TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PAN, SAID FACES BEING SPACED APART AT DISTANCES CORRESPONDING TO THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID MAGNETS, AND DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID PAN FOR MOVING THE PAN AND RIFFLES BACK AND FORTH ALONG SAID PATH, THE PERPENDICULAR FACE OF EACH RIFFLE OVERLYING A MAGNET AT ONE END OF SAID PATH AND OVERLYING THE NEXT MAGNET AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PATH.