New IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING IRON FROM CHARCOAL AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES, AS WELL AS FROM LIQUID OR SEMI- LIQUID SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1881

page_text: OR
LETTERS PATENT to Dugald MacEachran, of Greenock, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Sugar Refiner, for an Invention of “New
IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING IRON FROM CHARCOAL
AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES, AS WELL AS FROM LIQUID OR SEMI-
LIQUID SUBSTANCES."
IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS .FOR SEPARATING IRON FROM CHARCOAL
AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES, AS WELL AS FROM LIQUID OR SEMI-
LIQUID SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Dugald MacEachran at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1881.
DUGALD MACEACHRAN, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Sugar Refiner. "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
IRON FROM CHARCOAL AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES, AS WELL AS FROM
LIQUID OR SEMI-LIQUID SUBSTANCES."
The said Invention relates to new or improved means or apparatus for separating
iron from charcoal and other pulverulent substances, as well as from liquid or semi-
liquid substances, and has for its object to effect the said separation in a perfect,
rapid, and convenient manner.
According to the said Invention the substance containing the iron, and from
which the iron is to be separated, is caused to pass between the poles of magnets,
or between magnetized bars or surfaces, which are adjusted or adjustable nearer to
or further from each other, according to the nature of the material or the quantity of
iron contained therein, or according to the state in which the iron is contained
therein. Apparatus may be arranged to effect this purpose in the said manner by
arranging permanent magnets, so that their poles are in proximity, leaving a space
between them, the said magnets being arranged in line to form conduits through
which the substance from which the iron is to be separated is passed from a convenient
hopper or its equivalent, the said substance passing from between the leaves or
sides of the said magnets through between the poles thereof, the iron being
attracted and retained by the said magnets, and the substance from which the iron
has been separated falling or passing from between the leaves or sides and poles of
the said magnets into a convenient receptacle; or the magnets may be arranged in

page_text: pairs or singly, or in other suitable number, around a horizontal or other wheel or
like carrier caused to revolve beneath a hopper from which the substance from
which the iron is to be separated passes to between the leaves or sides and poles
of the magnets, the iron being retained thereby, and the substance from which the
iron has been separated falling or passing into a suitable receptacle. In place of
permanent magnets electro-magnetized bars or surfaces may be arranged in
proximity, so that, as the substance from which the iron is to be separated passes
there between, the iron is separated thereby. In order to detach the iron from the
poles of the permanent magnets, or from the electro-magnets, a brush or brushes
may be used, the said brush or brushes being either stationary or revolving, and
either arranged so as to come into contact with the poles of the magnets, or with
the surfaces of the electro-magnets as they pass thereby, to detach the iron there-
from in the case of moving or revolving magnets; or the said brushes may be
arranged, in the case of stationary magnets or electro-magnets, so that the magnets
or electro-magnets may at intervals be passed over or in contact with the said
brush or brushes, or the said brush or brushes passed over or in contact with the
said magnets to detach the iron therefrom, and this movement of the magnets or
the electro-magnets or of the brush or brushes may be effected either by mechanical
means or by hand. Where electro-magnetized bars or surfaces are employed the
electric current may be discontinued at intervals in order to detach the iron there-
from, and with these electro-magnets brushes may be used, if desired, to ensure the
complete detachment of the iron. The magnets or electro magnetized bars or
surfaces may be of a loop or equivalent form, constituting conduits for the substance
under treatment, and the space between the leaves, sides, or poles of the magnets,
or between the magnetized bars or surfaces through or between which the
substance under treatment passes, may be permanently adjusted in accordance with
the substance being treated, or in accordance with the combination of the iron there-
with, as may be desired; or the said leaves, sides, or poles or magnetized bars or
surfaces may be hinged or otherwise connected together, so that the space between
them for the passage of the substance under treatment may be adjusted as required
from time to time as may be necessary.
The means or apparatus described may be employed for the separation of iron
from charcoal, gunpowder, plumbago, and other pulverulent substances, or from
liquid or semi-liquid substances from which it may be desirable to abstract iron.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
.
by the said Dugald MacEachran in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th November 1881.
"
DUGALD MACEACHRAN, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Sugar Refiner. NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
IRON FROM CHARCOAL AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES, AS WELL AS FROM
LIQUID OR SEMI-LIQUID SUBSTANCES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved means or apparatus for separating
iron from charcoal and other pulverulent substances, as well as from liquid or semi-
liquid substances, and has for its object to effect the said separation in a perfect,.
rapid, and convenient manner.
According to the said Invention the substance containing the iron, and from
which the iron is to be separated, is caused to pass between the poles of permanent.
or electro magnets, or between magnetized bars or surfaces, which are adjusted or
may be adjustable nearer to or further from each other, according to the nature of
the material, or the quantity of iron contained therein, or according to the state in
which the iron is contained therein. Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing
represents in front elevation, and Figure 2 in transverse section on the line 1, 2,.
Figure 1. Figure 3, in transverse section on the line 3, 4. Figure 2, apparatus
constructed according to my Invention, wherein permanent loop magnets A are so
arranged that their poles are downwards, and in proximity, leaving a space between
them, the said magnets being arranged in a carrier A2 in line to form a number of
conduits through which the substance from which the iron is to be separated is
passed from a convenient hopper or its equivalent on to the inclined shoot E³, and
in at the upper end of the conduits formed by the magnets, the said substance
passing down the said conduits, and out from between the leaves or sides of the
said magnets, through between the poles thereof, the iron being attracted and
retained by the said magnets, and the substance from which the iron has been
separated, falling or passing from between the leaves or sides and poles of the said
magnets into a convenient receptacle C beneath. The iron adhering to the magnets
is removed at intervals by a brush or brushes, or their equivalent. A convenient.
method of effecting this cleaning is to mount the magnet carrier A² in grooves e in
the supporting framing E, so that when the iron is to be removed, the said carrier
is moved to one side, and in its passage the iron is brushed from the magnets by
the brush D, the said iron falling into the receptacle F. The magnets may have a
backward and forward jogging motion imparted to them by any convenient means
if desired to facilitate the passage of the material between the leaves or poles, and
in place of moving the framing A², the said framing may be stationary, and the
shoot or receptacle F and brush beneath be moved to one side when the magnets
are to be cleaned. Or the magnets may be arranged in pairs or singly, or in other
suitable number around a horizontal or other wheel, or like carrier, caused to revolve
beneath a hopper, from which the substance from which the iron is to be separated
passes to between the leaves or sides and poles of the magnets, the iron being
retained thereby, and the substance, from which the iron has been separated, falling
or passing into a suitable receptacle.
Figure 4 represents in plan, and Figure 5 in elevation with the wheel in vertical
section, apparatus constructed according to this modification of my Invention. A
wheel L is fixed to the shaft l, and caused to revolve thereby beneath a hopper m,
down which the impure charcoal or other substance is fed. The said wheel L,
at its outer part, carries a series of pairs of magnets A held in holders of wood,
or the like, formed with or fixed in the wheel L. These magnets A are of a loop

page_text: form, as shewn at Figure 5, and open at their lower ends, the said magnets, if in
contact, being placed with like poles together, or they may have a non-conductor
between them. Before each pair of magnets an inclined plane & is formed or fixed
and the other parts are filled up so that the matter from the hopper m falls down
the inclined planes a, through the interior of the magnets A, and out at the bottom
thereof, as shown by the arrows in Figure 6, which represents a section on an
enlarged scale on the line 5. 6, Figure 4. A brush n brushes the iron from the
magnets as the wheel revolves, and the said iron falls into the receptacle p.
There
may be
any number of pairs of magnets A around the wheel L. The said
magnets may be arranged singly instead of in pairs, or they may be arranged three
together, or a greater number together as desired. Figures 7 and 8 are respectively
half plan and half vertical section of a modification of the foregoing arrangement:
In this modification the magnets A³ are placed at right angles to their position in
the arrangement, Figures 4, 5, and G. Between the loops of each pair of magnets
is the double inclined plane a³, upon which the material to be treated drops from
the hopper m2, and is by the said inclined planes directed to between the loops of
the magnets. The spout of the hopper m² is extended down to between the
magnets, as shewn in Figures 8. Figure 9 is a section on the line 7, 8, Figure 7.
With this arrangement I prefer to use rotary brushes n², as shewn in Figure 10,
revolving at the upper part of a receptacle p2, for the iron detached by these
brushes from the magnets. q, in Figures 5, 7 and 8, represent a helical inclined
plane for directing the substance passing from between the magnets to any desired
placc.
The herein before described forms of apparatus are more especially applicable
for the separation of iron from animal charcoal, but they may also be. employed
for separating iron from other pulverulent substances, or from liquid, or semi-
liquid substances.
In abstracting iron from saccharine matters, the magnets may be placed in the
blow up, or in the runs from the blow up, or at the head of the filters, or at the
outlet of the filters, or in any other place that may be suitable. The charcoal may
be submitted to the action of the magnets before or after burning, or reburning at.
any stage before it reaches the refinery, or before or during filling into the cistern
or cisterns, or when being emptied therefrom, or before being reburned, or during
burning, or reburning, or after being burned, or reburned, or during cooling, and
after, or before being taken to the cistern or cisterns, or the equivalent.
In place of permanent magnets arranged, as shown in the accompanying Drawings,
electro-magnets may be used instead thereof, being placed in proximity, so that as
the substance from which the iron is to be separated passes the electro-magnets the
iron is thereby separated.
The brush or brushes used to detach the iron from the magnets may be either
stationary or revolving.
Where electro-magnetized bars or surfaces are employed the electric current may
be discontinued at intervals, in order to detach the iron therefrom, and with these
electro-magnets brushes may be used if desired to ensure the complete detachment
of the iron. The loop magnets shewn may be replaced by magnetized bars or
surfaces arranged in an equivalent manner, between which the substance under
treatment is passed. The distance between the poles or magnetized surfaces may
be either permanently fixed or they may be adjustable; or the said poles or bars
or surfaces may be hinged or otherwise connected together, so that the space
between them for the passage of the substance under treatment may be adjusted as
required from time to time as may be necessary. Figure 11 represents an arrange-
ment for this purpose; the magnet is made so that it has a tendency to spring
outwards. The wedge piece s is adjusted by the screw s²; so that by lowering or
raising the wedge piece the distance between the leaves can be regulated by moving
the said leaves further from or nearer to each other. In place of the wedge s and
screw s² a screw may be connected to the one leaf of the magnet, and adjusted by
a nut on the outer side of the magnet holder, or other equivalent means of

page_text: adjustment may be adopted, such, for example, as two magnetized bars hinged
together, and adjusted against the pressure of a spring by a screw, but I prefer the
arrangement shewn in Figure 11.
The means or apparatus described may be employed for the separation of iron
from charcoal, gunpowder, plumbago, and other pulverulent substances, or from
liquid or semi-liquid substances, from which it may be desirable to abstract iron.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or
may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
I am aware that iron has hitherto been separated from substances by causing them
to pass in proximity to magnets, and I therefore lay no general claim to the
separation of iron from other substances by so causing them to pass in proximity to
magnets, but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. In apparatus for separating iron from charcoal and other pulverulent
matters, or from liquid or semi-liquid matters the employment of loop magnets or
magnetized bars or the like (whether permanently magnetized or electro-magnetized),
so arranged that the matter from which the iron is to be separated is fed in
between these magnets or magnetized bars or the like, and out between their poles,
or through a space between such magnets or magnetized bars or the like, essentially
as hereinbefore described.
Second. The apparatus herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2,
and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, for separating iron from other matters.
Third. The apparatus consisting of magnets or magnetized bars or the like,
arranged essentially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6
of the accompanying Drawings, so as to pass in succession beneath or before the
outlet for the matters and iron to be separated; also the modification described
with regard to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In apparatus for separating iron from other substances by means of
magnets, electro-magnets, or magnetized bars or the like, arranged as claimed by
the preceding first claiming clause, the rendering of the space or spaces between
the poles of such magnets, or between such magnetized surface, adjustable to suit
the quantity of iron to be removed and the nature of the substance or substances
being operated upon, essentially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 11
of the accompaning Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Dugald Mac Eachran, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
DUGALD MAC EACHRAN. _ (L.S.)