Patent Publication Number: US-10322418-B2

Title: Magnetic separator apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicant claims the benefit of Provisional Patent No. 62/496,083, filed by the same inventor on Oct. 4, 2016. 
    
    
     1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     A multiple point separation apparatus for the removal of magnetic particles from gold bearing sands provides one or more magnetic separator assemblies along a sluice channel to remove the magnetic particles using a spinning strong magnet within a channel platform, removing the magnetic particle where they are scraped from the platform and directed to an evacuation slot where they are disposed of as waste, while the non-magnetic particles are left within the sluice for further separation and processing to remove the precious metal particles contained therein. The apparatus may be used as a wet or dry sluice. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present magnetic separator, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art. 
     Magnetic separation of ore has been used for ore suspended is liquids or for the application to dry ores materials. In U.S. Pat. No. 954,015 to Bent, an auger compels a stream of liquid bearing ore through a horizontal tube with a magnet drawing the magnetic particles laterally where the magnetic particles are evacuated in a descent while the tailings in the suspension are carried upward by an upward flowing stream. A vertical separator sifts ore through a mesh screen where the particles fall into an upper cylinder into a liquid within the tube pushed by an eddy current within the tube influenced by a DC biased current and forces the particles into lateral multiple ore extractors which gather the metallic ores and extract them based upon their distinct permeability and ohmic resistance. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,771 to Henriquez. The cores are charged with an alternating current of variable frequencies. “Influenced particles” are moved aside while “uninfluenced particles” continue downward into the bottom of the vertical tube. A similar liquid suspension separator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,185 to Ries which uses a magnetic coil to influence magnetic particles away from non-magnetic particle within a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic particles within the liquid suspension. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,364 to Kyrazis runs a mixed power by means of a belt drive through a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic particles are lifted into an upper passage while a lower passage evacuates the non-magnetic particle not influenced by the magnetic field. 
     Rotation has also been used in the separation of metallic ores. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,833 to Matsufuji, a method is defined which utilizes centrifugal force provided by an air jet pump to move placer gold sand particles through a pipe and removing the particles through the specific gravity distinctions of the particles and separating the placer gold from the other particles through a magnetized cylinder with a high magnetic field, between 5000 and 200,00 gauss, against an inner wall of the magnetized cylinder. A much more simple rotating cylinder is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,881 to Shumway, which is a simple rotating drum cylinder with an inner spiral auger with large particles sent down the rotating drum while the smaller gold containing black sands are released through a plurality of small openings in the drum allowing the black sand to be separated from the more course materials in the materials run through the drum. A vibrating cradle is also employed within the machine. 
     A rotating magnetic wand is demonstrated in an unrelated massage device to Kleitz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,720, which discloses a wand with an inner rotating magnet which emits an series of magnetic waves which allegedly enhance vascular circulation when held over a body part between 18 and 24 inches away from the body part. Although used in a wholly unrelated field of art, it does include a wand with a rotating magnet within the wand. 
     II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Black sand gold mining has grown in popularity due to the recent increase in the price of gold and the development of less expensive technology for the part time prospector and enthusiast. Black sands are found in several geographic locales across the globe, primarily in places containing placer deposits or on beaches near prior volcanic activity. The black sands are known to contain precious metals including gold, thorium, titanium, tungsten, and zirconium, and gemstones including garnet, topaz, ruby, sapphire, and diamonds. Due to the increase in the occasional prospectors, large scale placer mining has been restricted, commonly requiring a license or permit near lakes, rivers and streams and especially on public beaches. Small scale or hobby scale mining has also been recently restricted or limited to small quantity mining and often away from the water where the black sands are know to deposit. 
     As seen in the prior art, using a magnet for primary separation of magnetic deposits from non-magnetic materials has been known in the field of placer mining of black sands. However, none of the prior art provides a magnetic separator using the simple components and mechanical features of the present magnetic separator apparatus. 
     The primary objective of the invention is to provide a simple device attaching to a local power supply which attracts magnetic materials comprising black sands passing through a wet or dry sluice and, by use of a spinning motion, causes the magnetic particles to be forcibly removed from the non-magnetic material by inertia and/or centrifugal force and further evacuated from the mixtures. A second objective is to provide the apparatus to withdraw the magnetic material and to adapt for a wet or dry mixture of materials, allowing the non-magnetic materials to pass through the sluice for further classification and separation. Unlike the previously patented device by the same inventor, which was a hand held version of the same type concept, the present invention is provided for an industrial and commercially applied apparatus using a local drive means and incorporated as a component in industrial sized applications and machinery where separation of magnetic particles is desire and useful. 
    
    
     
       III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following drawings are informal drawings submitted with this provisional patent application. 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of the magnetic separator apparatus using four magnetic separator assemblies above the sluice box, with a broken line depicting a common drive belt from a local power supply. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a single magnetic separator assembly processing granular materials along section lines  2 / 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the magnetic roller bar, the outer bearings upon the roller bar axle and the outer drive pulley, along section lines  3 / 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top sectional view of a single magnetic separator assembly along section lines  4 / 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a plurality of the break elements within the particle scraper plates. 
         FIG. 6  is a front or rear view of the particle break elements within the particle scraper plates along section lines  6 / 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A magnetic separator apparatus  10  for the removal of magnetic particulate materials A from gold bearing sands B and passing valuable non-magnetic gold bearing materials C along the apparatus without removal, applied to wet or dry use, provides a section of sluice box  20  defining a lower flat tray  22  and a pair of lateral sides  24  between which is installed at least one magnetic separator assembly  30 . In  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  10  provides a series of four magnetic separator assemblies  30 , all being operated by a common drive X. 
     Each magnetic separator assembly  30 ,  FIGS. 2 and 4 , further comprises a non-magnetic formed plate  35  defining a lower surface  37 , an evacuation cylinder  40  having a lower break  45  cooperating across an upper surface  38  of a middle planar portion  36 , and a magnetic cylinder tube  50  defining a magnetic cylinder chamber  52 , defining opposing open ends  54 . The evacuation cylinder  40  forms a closed end  47  and an open end  48 . An evacuation hose  46  attaches to the open end  48  which further attaches to a vacuum source Y through a lateral side  24  of the sluice box  20  to withdraw magnetic particulate materials A received through the lower break  45  into the evacuation cylinder  40  as received during operation of the apparatus  10 . 
     Each magnetic cylinder chamber  52  receives and encloses a respective rotating magnetic rod assembly  60 ,  FIG. 3 , further defining a central rod  62  providing a short terminal end  63  and an extended terminal end  64 , each end extending through an open end  54  of the magnetic cylinder chamber  52  and through a lateral side  24  of the sluice box  20  in a uniform orientation, with a plurality of cylindrical earth magnets  68  installed upon the rotating magnetic rod assembly  60  with opposing polar configurations, and a set of bearings  65  engaging the central rod  62  beyond the last of each row comprising the plurality of cylindrical earth magnets  68 , at each short terminal end  63  and each extended terminal end  64 , within each open end  54  of the magnetic cylinder tube chamber  52  and each respective lateral side  24  of the sluice box  20 , each bearing forming a complete seal of each magnetic cylinder chamber  52 . A drive pulley  69  attaches to each extended terminal end  64  of each central rod  62  beyond the respective lateral side  24  of the sluice box, and in axially alignment where there is more than one magnetic separator assembly  30 . The central rod  62  turns freely within the respective bearings  65  along with the plurality of cylindrical earth magnets  68  rotating with it. The drive pulley  69  rotation compels the rotation of the central rod  62  outside the lateral side of the sluice, with drive pulley  69  rotation compelled by the common drive X. 
     When installed within the magnetic cylinder chamber  52  of the magnetic cylinder tube  50 , an outer portion  66  of each bearing  65  engages a respective open end  54  of the magnetic cylinder chamber  52  either by insertion within the open end  54 ,  FIG. 4 , by installation upon the open end  54 , or within the respective lateral side  24  of the sluice box  20 . A bearing seal  67  is essential between the outer portion  66  of each bearing  65 , the bearing seal  67  creating and air and water tight seal between the central rod  62  and the magnetic cylinder chamber  52  preventing any moisture or particulate materials to enter the magnetic cylinder chamber  52 . Intrusion of contaminant particles will wear out the bearings  65  and eventually damage the central rod  62  and cylindrical earth magnets  68 . 
     As the central rod  62  is turned by the common drive X that engages each drive pulley  69 , a moving rotational magnetic field is created applied to an outer surface  55  around the magnetic cylinder chamber  52 , which first uplifts magnetic particles A contained in the gold bearing sands B and moves them around the non-magnetic formed plate  35  passing them along the upper surface  38  towards the evacuation cylinder  40  where the vacuum occurring within the evacuation cylinder  40  sucks the magnetic particles A through the lower break  45  and passes them off for waste disposal through the evacuation hose  46 . This separation and movement is demonstrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Operation of the apparatus  10  occurs by selecting the angle and pitch of the sluice box  20  desired by the user based upon the particulate materials being separated and whether the application will use a wet or dry material process. The common drive X is then activated turning each of the at least one drive pulleys  69  to commence rotation and operation of each magnetic separator assembly  30 , the drive pulleys  69  attaching a common drive belt W connected to the vertical axis common drive X. The gold bearing sands B are passed down the flat tray  22  of the sluice box  20 , with each magnetic separator assembly  30  withdrawing a subsequent quantity of magnetic particles A from the passing gold bearing sands B, allowing the valuable non-magnetic gold bearing material C to pass below each magnetic separator assembly  30  unaffected by the magnetic fields. The materials A-C may be passed through the sluice box  20  as many times as desired by the user or until the user is satisfied that he has gained complete separation and evacuation of the majority of the magnetic particles, leaving behind a purified quantity of valuable non-magnetic gold bearing materials C. 
     As indicated in the specification above, the magnetic particles A of the gold bearing sands B is of little or no value. There are no precious metals that are magnetic. The valuable non-magnetic gold bearing materials C, including gold, thorium, titanium, tungsten, and zirconium, and gemstones including garnet, topaz, ruby, sapphire, and diamonds, are not removed by this present apparatus. These potentially valuable materials flow through the sluice box and are not eliminated by the magnetic separator assemblies  30  as they are passed below the lower surface  37  of the non-magnetic formed plate  35  where they are collected for further processing and classification. 
     An irrigation system  70  is further provided for optional “wet” application,  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Without the irrigations system  70 , the process of separation is a “dry” separation. While the particulate mixture may be drawn from a wet source and contain moisture during the processing and separation, the apparatus may be operated without introducing more moisture to the process. Some user may prefer the dry application, which would generally require a greater pitch to the sluice box  20  during operation as would a wet application. The intent of the apparatus  10  is to allow the user to select the processing operation speed as well as to select between a wet or dry processing operation. The irrigation system  70  is further defined by a water tube  71  having a sealed end  72  and an open end  73  which orient parallel and in close proximity to the outer surface  55  of the magnetic cylinder chamber  52 , each water tube  71  having perforations  74  or spray openings. The open end  73  of each water tube  71  is attached, preferably in series as shown in  FIG. 1 , to a primary water line  75 , which may or may not include a valve regulator  76  for each respective water tube  71 , the primary water line  75  perpendicular to each parallel water tube  71 . The primary water line  75  is attached to a common water source Z. When water is supplied to each water tube  71 , water is introduced to the particulate mixture, and is optimally directed, in part, towards the rotating magnetic field, or where the magnetic particles A are transfer from the magnetic cylinder tube  50  to the upper surface  38  of the middle planar portion  36  is occurring on the outer surface  55  of the magnetic cylinder tube,  FIG. 2 . This can wash the uptake particulate of dirt and dust and also wash away valuable non-magnetic gold bearing particles C which may cling to the magnetic particles A due to dirt or mud adhesion, washed away in the wet processing application as some point along the sluice box  20 . The water also serves as a means of pushing the processed material down the sluice box  20 , along with gravity used in the dry processing application. This may reduce the required angle desired by the user of the sluice box  20  during processing operations. It may also provide a more thorough separation of the valuable non-magnetic gold bearing materials C and magnetic particles A during processing operations. 
       FIGS. 2 and 5-6  indicate a scraper and break assembly  80  which would be preferably applied to the upper surface  38  of the middle planar portion  36  of the formed plate  35 ,  FIGS. 2 and 5-6 . The attachment is shown by using threaded screws  85 ,  FIG. 2 , but the means of attachment may include adhesives or other means. However, it would be preferable that the attachment be removable, i.e. screws  85  as shown, in order to maintain and clean the apparatus and to remove any large material which might become stuck in the scraper and separator assembly  80 . The scraper and separator assembly  80  defines an upper plate  82 , lateral elevation supports  88  applied to each lateral portion  84  of the upper plate  82  between a lower surface  86  of the upper plate  82  and the upper surface  38  of the middle planar portion  36  of the formed plate  35  between the evacuation cylinder  40  and the water tube  71 , above magnetic cylinder chamber  52 , avoiding impediment to the lower break  45 , also shown in  FIG. 2 . Between the lower surface  86  of the upper plate  82  and upper surface  38  of the middle planar portion  36  of the formed plate  35 , a plurality of spaced shaped breakers  90  are included. These breakers  90  are shown a diamond shaped objects in  FIGS. 2 and 5-6  and labeled D 1 -D 6  for illustration purposes to indicate one preferred embodiment of their arrangement below the formed plate  35 . Optimally, the thickness of each breaker  90  would be that of the distance between the upper plate  82  and the middle planar portion  36 , with no space above of below each breaker  90 . 
     The breakers  90  may be glued to the lower surface  86  of the upper plate  82 , which would preferable provide contemporaneous breakdown of large clumps of the magnetic particles A by the breakers  90  during removal of the upper plate  82  for cleaning. It would also assure proper alignment of the breakers  90  upon reattachment of the upper plate  82  above the middle planer portion  36  subsequent to cleaning and prior to resumed processing. The breakers  90  are intended to disrupt the magnetic particles passed between the upper plate  82  and the middle planar portion  36  on its way to the lower break  45  of the evacuation cylinder  40 , caused by particulate adhesion and surface tension of the moisture of the particulate material or due to the attraction of the particles while involved in the rotating magnetic field over the magnetic cylinder tube  50 . They also function to reduce the area between the upper plate  82  and middle planar portion  36  to increase the effect of the vacuum force between the upper plate  82  and middle planar portion  36  towards the lower break  45 . The diamond shaped breakers  90  and the illustrated placement in  FIGS. 5-6  have been shown to produce optimal separation of the magnetic particles A prior to receipt within the lower break  45  of the evacuation cylinder  40 , enhance the effect of the vacuum drawn through the lower break  45  into the evacuation hose  46 , reduce clogging, clumping and clotting of the magnetic particles A and reduce the amount of processing stoppage and inconvenience while increasing productivity due to the presenting margins of the diamond shaped breakers  90  in more than one linear involvement. 
     Material selection of the components involved in the magnetic separator apparatus  10  would be primarily non-magnetic materials, including plastic, aluminum and other non-magnetic materials. In addition, the magnetic separator apparatus  10  is contemplated for use in an ore processing assembly, which would contemplate use with further sluice separation components subsequent to the magnetic separator apparatus  10 , preliminary gross separation components, and other additional separation, classification and ore processing devices or components as chosen by the user. It is therefore contemplated that it may be a component in an otherwise larger processing system. It may be stationary or portable. Although the embodiments of the magnetic separator apparatus  10  have been described and shown above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as herein described.